Behaviour Problems Point to a Crisis in Student Mental Health

Too often, student behaviour isn't great, the issue is acute in some schools and can seem intractable. Many theories have arisen as to why kids are misbehaving or simply refusing to show up, but it’s safe to say these behaviours have a psychological underpinning.

Children who refuse to adhere to any kind of rule and are routinely disruptive or out of control are more than likely acting out.

“Behavioural difficulties always have an underlying reason. They can be tricky to figure out but the answer is always there. It might be an underlying cause such as a learning difficulty, language difficulty or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder which requires assessment and tailored interventions. It may also be an underlying emotional difficulty,” says leading developmental paediatrician Dr Billy Garvey.

“Many kids who struggle in classroom settings are anxious and have not yet learnt how to regulate that emotion effectively. Each child needs a strategy targeting the cause once it has been identified and educators should not have to figure this out alone. However, universal principles that apply for all kids with behavioural difficulties are that the child first needs to feel safe, then supported and then guided to a behaviour that they can realistically achieve. The best way to change a behaviour is to support children in working towards a better one.”

Disengagement from activities that kids were previously participating in is a clinical sign of mental illness. It can also be an indication of insecure self-esteem, issues at home or a lack of understanding why their participation matters.

“Evidence shows us that schools can be a very protective aspect of children’s lives when they feel a sense of belonging there. Kids who have disengaged often don’t feel like this. What can bring them back is a passionate educator who works on utilising the child’s interests and strengths to feel like they are valued within the school community. Once the experience of school becomes a successful one for that child, their engagement with schoolwork follows,” Dr Garvey says.

As it becomes more difficult to access clinical specialists, educators are being asked to help children with clinical mental illness and need more support. In Australia 1 in 7 children aged 4 to 17 meets criteria for a mental illness over a 12-month period. Only about half of them ever see a clinician and all of those that do, wait too long to be seen.

“We need to equip educators with the knowledge and skills to identify and support these children but in partnership with clinicians who can provide realistic and timely guidance. This needs to be adequately resourced and not just added on top of their already overwhelming demands.

“Teaching staff are overworked, the best way we can increase the capacity of teachers is to reduce the other demands placed upon them. The mental health of children in schools needs to be the first priority. Children with emotional and behavioural difficulties cannot successfully participate in learning opportunities until their mental health needs are addressed. By giving teachers the training, time and support to address the mental health needs of their students we also improve the experience of teachers and their own mental health.”

Parents have a huge influence on child development and mental health says Garvey, “One of the biggest influences on how you parent your own children is how you were parented as a child. Breaking those cycles can be difficult and the only way we can support parents in that growth is through partnership and trust.

“Parents also need to support educators, as they can’t do it own their own. All parents want the best for their child, but many have not been provided with a good understanding of how important sensitive, supportive, responsive and predictable approaches are. If we can help them build better skills in supporting their kids, then all of us will benefit in the long run.”

Half of adult mental illness begins before 14 years of age. We know that early life experiences of adversity, such as abuse, neglect and household dysfunction are common and these experiences are huge risk factors for emotional and behavioural difficulties, but that future is not set in stone.

“If teenagers who are struggling see that support is genuine, consistent and unconditional then they have a chance to repair their insecure view of others and eventually see the help that can come from relationships. Educators have taught me this and have changed the future of many teenagers I’ve met in clinic who many people had otherwise given up on,” Garvey says.

While we can’t really ask teachers to become clinicians, they need to be better supported in gaining knowledge and skills related to child development and mental health.

“In my PhD and other work with teachers we co-design sessions that are tailored to the needs of a school community. Sessions might focus on the signs of anxiety in kids, non-medication treatments for ADHD or mental health first aid.

“My social enterprise Guiding Growing Minds has been supporting the Pop Culture Parenting podcast for nearly 3 years now and has recently launched my book Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Your Child’s Mental Health. Both are part of a bigger vision to give all children the best opportunity to reach their potential and succeed in living rich and meaningful lives. Guiding Growing Minds also delivers professional development training to teachers and other professionals who work with children. By sharing what we do in clinic more broadly we can overcome some of the barriers to improving outcomes for children who are struggling.”

Many harbour a secret longing for a return to the days of heavy-handed discipline, but the results of this approach are still being felt.

“The romanticism of the old days ignores the high prevalence of mental illness in today’s adults. Evidence clearly demonstrates that physical discipline not only doesn’t improve behavioural difficulties - it often makes them worse. We can do better than conditioning children to stop a behaviour through negative consequences. Instead, we should help them learn why another behaviour is more beneficial, help them achieve that behaviour and subsequently feel the success of doing so immediately and genuinely. By teaching them skills, instead of consequences, we better support their actual growth and in turn build stronger communities as a whole.”

Check out Dr Garvey’s book, Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Your Child’s Mental Health, out now thorough Penguin Random House.