Establishing Ongoing, Early Identification Programs for Mental Health Problems in Our Schools: A Feasibility Study - 26/04/12
, JESSICA MASS LEVITT, Ph.D., LISA FAUL, M.Ed., AHTOY WONPAT-BORJA, B.A., SARA BUFFERD, M.A., STEPHEN SETTERBERG, M.D., PETER S. JENSEN, M.D.ABSTRACT |
Objective: |
To investigate the feasibility of establishing ongoing, early identification services for mental health problems in school settings.
Method: |
School counselors and other mental health professionals (N = 41) in middle, junior, and high schools (N = 23) were given training and supervision in the administration of an evidence-based mental health assessment tool, the Voice Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children IV (DISC-IV), over the course of 1½ school years.
Results: |
During the study, 530 students were selected to be assessed with the DISC, and 72% were confirmed to be at risk for a mental health problem (DISC+). Among DISC+ cases, 71% had never been in treatment before. The most common problems identified by the DISC were symptoms related to suicide (28%), social phobia (20%), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (19%), and oppositional defiant disorder (19%). Based on schools’ recommendations, 82% of parents with DISC+ children agreed to make an appointment for a follow-up evaluation. Of DISC+ children whose parents agreed to seek further evaluation, 65% of them were evaluated by a health or mental health professional within 2 weeks.
Conclusions: |
Use of a computerized, evidence-based mental health assessment tool is a feasible strategy for providing early mental health identification services in schools and can help to bridge the gap between mental health providers and the unmet needs of children who are at risk for mental health problems within the community.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Key Words: : early identification in schools, evidence-based assessment
Plan
| Accepted September 24, 2007, under the Editorship of Mina K. Dulcan, M.D. This research was supported by the Carmel Hill Fund and Prairie St. John’s. The authors thank all of the counselors, administrators, school districts, and clinical sites in the Fargo, ND-Moorhead, MN area that participated in the Prairie Evaluation Project. Disclosure: Dr. Nemeroff is a stockholder in Abbott Laboratories, Amgen, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer. Dr. Setterberg has ownership in Prairie St. John’s, a psychiatric treatment facility in Fargo, ND. Dr. Jensen is a stockholder with Eli Lilly, has investigator-initiated grants with Janssen and McNeil PPC, and participates on speakers’ bureaus for Janssen-Ortho, USB Pharma, and Cephalon. The other authors report no conflicts of interest. |
Vol 47 - N° 3
P. 328-338 - mars 2008 Retour au numéro
Article précédent
- Changes in Psychiatric Problems and Service Use Among 8-Year-Old Children: A 16-Year Population-Based Time-Trend Study
- ANDRE SOURANDER, SOLJA NIEMELÄ, PÄIVI SANTALAHTI, HANS HELENIUS, JORMA PIHA
- Public Knowledge and Assessment of Child Mental Health Problems: Findings From the National Stigma Study-Children
- BERNICE A. PESCOSOLIDO, PETER S. JENSEN, JACK K. MARTIN, BREA L. PERRY, SIGRUN OLAFSDOTTIR, DANIELLE FETTES
Bienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
L’accès au texte intégral de cet article nécessite un abonnement.
Déjà abonné à cette revue ?