Studying Mental Health in Schools: A Participatory Action Research (PAR) Approach in Public Mental Health

Despite a rising prevalence of mental health difficulties in the young,
existing prior to, but also exacerbated by the current COVID-19 pandemic, mental
health needs in this population remain unmet even in economically wealthy
countries. Increasingly, supportive school environments have been suggested as
having a significant impact on young people's mental health. The idea of healthpromoting schools, initiated by the World Health Organisation (WHO), highlights the ongoing need for both health education via the curriculum but also a school environment that is conducive to students' health and emotional well-being.
Despite this promising public health measure, existing studies into mental healthrelated interventions delivered in schools have been found to have a small or no effect. One explanation for this is that previous studies did not sufficiently address or focus on the school environment, which may in itself pose barriers to
acceptability and successful implementation of mental health interventions. This
paper will highlight a novel methodological approach to public mental health
research - Participatory Action Research (PAR). The PAR method is unique in
enabling study participants to become co-researchers of their own experiences in a specific context. A growing body of educational PAR research suggests that this
method can also generate collaborative and participative processes foundational to positive school culture and mental health outcomes. This paper will provide an
overview of such outcomes, as well as outline methodological strengths and
challenges common to the PAR approach in educational mental health settings.