ERIC Number: EJ1419013
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2578-4218
EISSN: EISSN-2578-4226
Available Date: N/A
Guidelines toward More Socially Just Mental Health Screening in Schools
Sarah Kiperman; Kelly Clark; Tyler L. Renshaw; Jacqueline R. Anderson; Elana Bernstein; Jessica B. Willenbrink
School Psychology, v39 n2 p151-166 2024
Mental health screening is a pivotal practice for promoting the social-emotional-behavioral (SEB) health and well-being of youth in schools. However, some aspects of traditional mental health screening practices may inadvertently perpetuate structural racism and unintentionally facilitate oppression and SEB disparities. We address this issue constructively by presenting an intentional approach to guide school psychologists and related professionals in implementing more socially just mental health screening in schools. Our guidelines are grounded within the four phases of the Participatory Culture-Specific Intervention Modeling (PCSIM) framework: system entry, culture-specific model development, culture-specific program development, and program continuation or extension. We propose that conceptualizing mental health screening within PCSIM methodology promotes more socially just practices by (a) displacing the implicit power of professionals, (b) giving transparent representation to local communities, and (c) employing methods that are recursive, culturally relevant, and intended to build capacity for sustained transformative change. Within each PCSIM phase, we recommend culturally responsive practices for professionals that foster equity in screening and SEB outcomes and discuss ways to resist practices that perpetuate oppression and disparities. We aim to convey a method for mental health screening that is not "done" to students and schools but rather "done in partnership with" and "for the benefit of students and schools."
Descriptors: Mental Health, Screening Tests, Social Justice, Racism, Social Bias, Well Being, School Psychologists, Cultural Relevance, Culture Fair Tests, Cultural Influences, World Views, Teamwork, Models, Program Development, Program Implementation, Program Evaluation, Capacity Building
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A