As eating disorders symptomatology often begins during adolescence, schools have a unique and essential role. Specifically, schools can be at the forefront in the intervention and prevention of eating disorders to implement programs that work. In addition, schools can reach students at individual and universal levels, positively impacting those at…

Child abuse can have serious long-term physical, psychological, behavioural, societal and economic consequences. The aim of this scoping review was to map the literature on abuse prevention programs conducted at schools for pre-teenage children. The review outlines the specific components and methods of the programs, the measurements used and the…

Bullying continues to be an omnipresent public health issue in school communities, affecting children's and adolescent's academic success, socio-emotional well-being, and overall development. Schools play a fundamental role in addressing bullying, yet parent and community involvement is equally critical. This article explores the significance of…

This study investigated the impact of implementing School responder model (SRM) programs on addressing mental and behavioral health needs to reduce problem behavior and prevent the school-to-prison pipeline. While successful school-based mental health interventions exist, the effectiveness of SRM programs in countering the school-to-prison…

Bullying is a major concern in education worldwide, particularly in countries such as New Zealand that are reported to have high rates of bullying in schools. In this article it is proposed that, in order to effectively prevent or substantially reduce bullying in schools, a systemic approach needs to be adopted, with interventions organized at…

This paper examines poverty's impact on student physical health, socioemotional health, and the brain. Further, although children spend only 20 percent of their time in school, this paper examines the school's role in student development, as well as proposes effective policies and programs that go beyond the classroom.

Childhood anxiety is a common condition which, if untreated, can cause considerable distress and impairment and increase the likelihood of mental health problems in adulthood. Developing good emotional health in children is therefore an important objective which has been emphasised in recent governmental initiatives and policies. In particular,…

Background: The school setting is frequently used both to educate youth about risks involved in tobacco use and to implement tobacco prevention and cessation programs. Given that school-based programs have resulted in limited success, it is necessary to identify other setting-level intervention strategies. School tobacco policies represent a type…

One of today's most pressing public health problems is the rise in childhood overweight and obesity. School-based health centers (SBHCs)--the convergence of public health, primary care, and mental health in schools--represent an important element in the public health toolbox for combating the challenging epidemic. When working side-by-side in a…

Risk taking is natural. As the bumper stickers says: "Risk taking happens!" Risk taking behavior may be beneficial or harmful. Some risk taking is unintentional. But a considerable amount stems from proactive or reactive motivation. For schools, some forms of student risk taking behavior are a necessity, and some forms are a problem. With respect…

A paradigm conceptualizing resilience as factors moderating between political violence exposure and psychological distress administered in a 7-year research project yielded a profile of factors promoting Israeli children's coping in conflict conditions. Three factors--social support mobilization, self-efficacy, and meaning attribution--were…

A review of several adolescent suicide prevention procedures and empirical evidence regarding their effectiveness finds that, although research is limited, best practice involves a school-based prevention approach that includes a mixture of primary and secondary prevention components. Seven specific recommendations to schools are offered. (DB)

Describes some of the ways public schools are coming up with innovative methods to help students stay out of gangs. Examples from urban high schools in New Mexico, California, and Arizona illustrate creative solutions based on personal relationships and projects that engage students' interest. (SLD)

Reviews efforts to prevent sexual abuse of children. Discusses the nature of sexual abuse and what an understanding of that nature implies for programs to prevent sexual abuse of children. Summarizes the research on sexual abuse prevention programs. Outlines major policy implications of this research. (JS)

Evaluates drug abuse prevention programs, sex education programs, and programs to change gender stereotypes in schools using theoretical framework of critical sociology of education. Notes that all types of programs had limited effectiveness. Concludes that schools appear unable to change behaviors prevalent in culture because both students and…