School Health Promotion and Mental Well-Being
Summary
School health promotion encompasses coordinated actions—curricular, environmental and policy-based—aimed at safeguarding and enhancing the physical and psychological well-being of pupils. Grounded in frameworks that view the school as a complex system, this field integrates health education, supportive governance, community partnerships and access to services to address risk behaviours and foster resilience. Emerging consensus emphasises the importance of a whole-school approach, involving students, staff, families and local stakeholders in shared decision-making to create inclusive climates. By nurturing social-emotional learning, positive peer relations and effective teaching practices, schools can mitigate stressors, reduce risk of anxiety and depression and equip young people with coping skills that extend into adulthood. Global initiatives advocate for adaptable models sensitive to cultural and socioeconomic contexts, demonstrating that well-implemented school health strategies contribute not only to academic engagement but also to broader public-health goals by preventing risk behaviours, promoting equity and supporting lifelong mental well-being.
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School Health Promotion and Mental Well-Being publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in school health promotion and mental well-being across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Whole-school approach: A systemic strategy that integrates curriculum, ethos, policies and partnerships to address health within every aspect of school life.
Mastery-approach goals: Academic objectives focused on personal improvement and understanding, rather than comparison with peers.
School climate: The collective perceptions of safety, support, structure and relationships within a school community.
Social-emotional learning: The process through which individuals develop skills to recognise emotions, form positive relationships and make responsible decisions.
Health-Promoting Schools Framework: A model outlining eight domains—ranging from curriculum to community engagement—designed to guide comprehensive school health programmes.
References
- The association between academic achievement goals and adolescent depressive symptoms: a prospective cohort study in Australia. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health (2024).
- Evidence and Gap Map of Whole‐School Interventions Promoting Mental Health and Preventing Risk Behaviours in Adolescence: Programme Component Mapping Within the Health‐Promoting Schools Framework: An evidence and gap map. Campbell Systematic Reviews (2025).
- The longitudinal relationship of school climate with adolescent social and emotional health. BMC Public Health (2021).
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