Page 257 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Contemporary European Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 257
mental health as a risk factor for esl: diagnostics, prevention, intervention
remain untreated and, even when in health services, they are less likely to
get help compared to youth with externalisation difficulties (Fox, Herzig,
Colognori, Stewart, & Warner, 2014). The topic’s relevance is stressed even
more since mental health problems (especially anxiety) are on the rise
(DeSocio & Hootman, 2004; Kozina, 2014).
Methodology
Literature was selected based on its relevance and narrow focus on the is-
sue of mental health and ESL. The literature review was made using a sci-
entific literature search (database PychArticles (EBSCO-HOST)). The fol-
lowing key words were used: mental health; early school leaving; drop-out;
academic achievement; anxiety; depression; aggression. We used relevant
scientific monographs and handbooks on the topic of mental health (also
through a backward search).
Mental health and school functioning (their role in ESL)
A diagnosis of psychopathology in adolescence is frequently preceded by
difficulties in academic and social functioning (Boyce, Essex, Woodward,
Measelle, Ablow, & Kupfer, 2002). Roderick and colleagues (Roderick,
Eggert, Thomson, Randell, & Pike, 2002) studied truancy and identified
mental health problems as factors contributing to poor school attendance.
Similarly, Eggert and colleagues (2002) identified an increased risk of de-
pression among disengaged students prone to ESL. The relationship be-
tween mental health problems and school performance is two-directional.
Mental health problems can precede problems related to school perfor-
mance. This is usually related to physiological and cognitive changes due to
mental health issues that interfere with the learning process (for instance,
insomnia in depression, cognitive preoccupation with worries in anxiety)
(Hishinuma et al., 2012). This means that a mental disorder can in itself sig-
nificantly interfere with cognitive functioning and also be related to learn-
ing difficulties and ESL. On the other hand, difficulties in school can result
in various problems with mental health. School is an important domain in
which children achieve developmental milestones (DeSocio & Hootman,
2004) and therefore a lack of success in this domain can lead to different
mental health issues especially for students who attribute great significance
to their academic achievement (Hishinuma et al., 2012). For instance, ESL
students are more prone to different mental health problems (DeSocio &
257
remain untreated and, even when in health services, they are less likely to
get help compared to youth with externalisation difficulties (Fox, Herzig,
Colognori, Stewart, & Warner, 2014). The topic’s relevance is stressed even
more since mental health problems (especially anxiety) are on the rise
(DeSocio & Hootman, 2004; Kozina, 2014).
Methodology
Literature was selected based on its relevance and narrow focus on the is-
sue of mental health and ESL. The literature review was made using a sci-
entific literature search (database PychArticles (EBSCO-HOST)). The fol-
lowing key words were used: mental health; early school leaving; drop-out;
academic achievement; anxiety; depression; aggression. We used relevant
scientific monographs and handbooks on the topic of mental health (also
through a backward search).
Mental health and school functioning (their role in ESL)
A diagnosis of psychopathology in adolescence is frequently preceded by
difficulties in academic and social functioning (Boyce, Essex, Woodward,
Measelle, Ablow, & Kupfer, 2002). Roderick and colleagues (Roderick,
Eggert, Thomson, Randell, & Pike, 2002) studied truancy and identified
mental health problems as factors contributing to poor school attendance.
Similarly, Eggert and colleagues (2002) identified an increased risk of de-
pression among disengaged students prone to ESL. The relationship be-
tween mental health problems and school performance is two-directional.
Mental health problems can precede problems related to school perfor-
mance. This is usually related to physiological and cognitive changes due to
mental health issues that interfere with the learning process (for instance,
insomnia in depression, cognitive preoccupation with worries in anxiety)
(Hishinuma et al., 2012). This means that a mental disorder can in itself sig-
nificantly interfere with cognitive functioning and also be related to learn-
ing difficulties and ESL. On the other hand, difficulties in school can result
in various problems with mental health. School is an important domain in
which children achieve developmental milestones (DeSocio & Hootman,
2004) and therefore a lack of success in this domain can lead to different
mental health issues especially for students who attribute great significance
to their academic achievement (Hishinuma et al., 2012). For instance, ESL
students are more prone to different mental health problems (DeSocio &
257
