Promoting Wellbeing and Mental Health in Schools Handbook

By WHO/PAHO

Emotional and behavioral disorders are major contributors to health-related disability in children and youth, and are associated with premature mortality, including by suicide, and long-term negative social and economic consequences for individuals and society. Prevention of emotional and behavioral disorders is therefore a global public health priority.

Schools have the unique opportunity to identify and support children who are experiencing emotional and behavioral difficulties. Improving mental health literacy, or the knowledge and beliefs about mental health and mental disorders, are now seen as critically important to establish the foundations of mental health to promote well-being and socioemotional development, improve early recognition of mental disorders, and reduce stigma.

To date, most mental health literacy programs have targeted adolescent teenagers and secondary school teachers, while little attention has been paid to improve mental health literacy among primary school educators and children.

This self-learning guide was designed to provide training to teachers, administrators, and people involved in the education of primary school children about the implementation of mental health literacy into daily school life.

Such knowledge, skills and attitudes will equip all levels of educators with key tools to support student mental health, manage difficult classroom behavior, and promote students’ wellbeing and academic success.