School culture and student mental health: a qualitative study in UK secondary schools

P E  Jessiman; Judi L Kidger; Liam` Spencer; Emma  Geijer Simpson; Greta Kaluzeviciute; Anne-Marie Burn; Naomi K Leonard; Mark Limmer

doi:10.1186/s12889-022-13034-x

School culture and student mental health: a qualitative study in UK secondary schools

P E Jessiman^*
, Judi L Kidger
, Liam` Spencer
, Emma Geijer Simpson
, Greta Kaluzeviciute
, Anne-Marie Burn
, Naomi K Leonard
, Mark Limmer

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

42 Citations (Scopus)

277 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background
There is consistency of evidence on the link between school culture and student health. A positive school culture has been associated with positive child and youth development, effective risk prevention and health promotion efforts, with extensive evidence for the impact on student mental health. Interventions which focus on socio-cultural elements of school life, and which involve students actively in the process, are increasingly understood to be important for student mental health promotion. This qualitative study was undertaken in three UK secondary schools prior to the implementation of a participative action research study bringing students and staff together to identify changes to school culture that might impact student mental health. The aim was to identify how school culture is conceptualised by students, parents and staff in three UK secondary schools. A secondary aim was to explore which components of school culture were perceived to be most important for student mental health.

Methods
Across three schools, 27 staff and seven parents participated in in-depth interviews, and 28 students participated in four focus groups. The Framework Method of thematic analysis was applied.

Results
Respondents identified elements of school culture that aligned into four dimensions; structure and context, organisational and academic, community, and safety and support. There was strong evidence of the interdependence of the four dimensions in shaping the culture of a school.

Conclusions
School staff who seek to shape and improve school culture as a means of promoting student mental health may have better results if this interdependence is acknowledged, and improvements are addressed across all four dimensions.

Original language	English
Article number	619
Pages (from-to)	619
Number of pages	1
Journal	BMC Public Health
Volume	22
Issue number	1
Early online date	30 Mar 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13034-x
Publication status	Published - 30 Mar 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Public Health Research (Grant Reference Number PD–SPH–2015). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Funding Information:
We would like to thank Off the Record for ongoing support with our study, and ARC West?s Young People?s Advisory Group for reviewing data collection methods and tools.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

School culture
School climate
Mental health
Qualitative
Childern
Young people

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10.1186/s12889-022-13034-xLicence: Unspecified

Full-text PDF (final published version)
This is the final published version of the article (version of record). It first appeared online via BMC at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13034-x. Please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher.
Final published version, 1.19 MBLicence: CC BY

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School culture and mental health; a qualitative study in UK secondary schools
Kidger, J. (Creator), Jessiman, T. (Creator) & Leonard, N. (Creator), University of Bristol, 24 Sept 2021
DOI: 10.5523/bris.2k2vyu5s93ztd2dk4fhg8ukqqk, http://data.bris.ac.uk/data/dataset/2k2vyu5s93ztd2dk4fhg8ukqqk
Dataset

Cite this

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title = "School culture and student mental health: a qualitative study in UK secondary schools",

abstract = "Background There is consistency of evidence on the link between school culture and student health. A positive school culture has been associated with positive child and youth development, effective risk prevention and health promotion efforts, with extensive evidence for the impact on student mental health. Interventions which focus on socio-cultural elements of school life, and which involve students actively in the process, are increasingly understood to be important for student mental health promotion. This qualitative study was undertaken in three UK secondary schools prior to the implementation of a participative action research study bringing students and staff together to identify changes to school culture that might impact student mental health. The aim was to identify how school culture is conceptualised by students, parents and staff in three UK secondary schools. A secondary aim was to explore which components of school culture were perceived to be most important for student mental health. Methods Across three schools, 27 staff and seven parents participated in in-depth interviews, and 28 students participated in four focus groups. The Framework Method of thematic analysis was applied. Results Respondents identified elements of school culture that aligned into four dimensions; structure and context, organisational and academic, community, and safety and support. There was strong evidence of the interdependence of the four dimensions in shaping the culture of a school. Conclusions School staff who seek to shape and improve school culture as a means of promoting student mental health may have better results if this interdependence is acknowledged, and improvements are addressed across all four dimensions.",

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author = "Jessiman, \{P E\} and Kidger, \{Judi L\} and Liam` Spencer and \{Geijer Simpson\}, Emma and Greta Kaluzeviciute and Anne-Marie Burn and Leonard, \{Naomi K\} and Mark Limmer",

note = "Funding Information: This study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Public Health Research (Grant Reference Number PD–SPH–2015). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. Funding Information: We would like to thank Off the Record for ongoing support with our study, and ARC West?s Young People?s Advisory Group for reviewing data collection methods and tools. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022, The Author(s).",

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AU - Jessiman, P E

AU - Kidger, Judi L

AU - Spencer, Liam`

AU - Geijer Simpson, Emma

AU - Kaluzeviciute, Greta

AU - Burn, Anne-Marie

AU - Leonard, Naomi K

AU - Limmer, Mark

N1 - Funding Information: This study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Public Health Research (Grant Reference Number PD–SPH–2015). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. Funding Information: We would like to thank Off the Record for ongoing support with our study, and ARC West?s Young People?s Advisory Group for reviewing data collection methods and tools. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).

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N2 - Background There is consistency of evidence on the link between school culture and student health. A positive school culture has been associated with positive child and youth development, effective risk prevention and health promotion efforts, with extensive evidence for the impact on student mental health. Interventions which focus on socio-cultural elements of school life, and which involve students actively in the process, are increasingly understood to be important for student mental health promotion. This qualitative study was undertaken in three UK secondary schools prior to the implementation of a participative action research study bringing students and staff together to identify changes to school culture that might impact student mental health. The aim was to identify how school culture is conceptualised by students, parents and staff in three UK secondary schools. A secondary aim was to explore which components of school culture were perceived to be most important for student mental health. Methods Across three schools, 27 staff and seven parents participated in in-depth interviews, and 28 students participated in four focus groups. The Framework Method of thematic analysis was applied. Results Respondents identified elements of school culture that aligned into four dimensions; structure and context, organisational and academic, community, and safety and support. There was strong evidence of the interdependence of the four dimensions in shaping the culture of a school. Conclusions School staff who seek to shape and improve school culture as a means of promoting student mental health may have better results if this interdependence is acknowledged, and improvements are addressed across all four dimensions.

AB - Background There is consistency of evidence on the link between school culture and student health. A positive school culture has been associated with positive child and youth development, effective risk prevention and health promotion efforts, with extensive evidence for the impact on student mental health. Interventions which focus on socio-cultural elements of school life, and which involve students actively in the process, are increasingly understood to be important for student mental health promotion. This qualitative study was undertaken in three UK secondary schools prior to the implementation of a participative action research study bringing students and staff together to identify changes to school culture that might impact student mental health. The aim was to identify how school culture is conceptualised by students, parents and staff in three UK secondary schools. A secondary aim was to explore which components of school culture were perceived to be most important for student mental health. Methods Across three schools, 27 staff and seven parents participated in in-depth interviews, and 28 students participated in four focus groups. The Framework Method of thematic analysis was applied. Results Respondents identified elements of school culture that aligned into four dimensions; structure and context, organisational and academic, community, and safety and support. There was strong evidence of the interdependence of the four dimensions in shaping the culture of a school. Conclusions School staff who seek to shape and improve school culture as a means of promoting student mental health may have better results if this interdependence is acknowledged, and improvements are addressed across all four dimensions.

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KW - Young people

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ER -

School culture and student mental health: a qualitative study in UK secondary schools

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Keywords

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School culture and mental health; a qualitative study in UK secondary schools

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