| Description |
This study assesses mental health literacy among middle school coaches and parents, exploring their understanding and application of it and how it influences interactions and support for adolescents in their respective spheres. Despite the prevalence of mental health education programs and research literature reporting improvements, mental health issues among middle school students continue to rise, which may suggest a disconnect between program outcomes and real-world effectiveness. Through a qualitative narrative inquiry approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with coaches and parents to examine their lived experiences, mental health literacy development, and its utilization in supporting adolescents. Key findings reveal that mental health literacy of participants in this study is predominantly shaped by personal experience of adversity, relying on self-reflection or self-motivated learning of mental health rather than formal education, highlighting a misalignment between institutional programs and practical impact on mental wellbeing of middle school-aged adolescents. Themes emerged from the interviews, such as The Misalignment Between Mental Health Education Goals, Fragmented Home-School collaboration, and using academic performance as a proxy for mental wellbeing, suggesting overlooked topics in current mental health frameworks. This research suggests the need for more proactive, culturally responsive strategies to foster holistic home and school support for adolescents. The study contributes to the literature by advocating for scenario-based learning with relevant, longitudinal assessments and integrated approaches that align theoretical knowledge with real-world contexts. Recommendations of this include enhancing communication between parents and educators by building a true mental health literacy, making an observable impact to support adolescents. This research underscores the importance of reimagining mental health education to empower caregivers, improve collaboration, and ultimately enhance the wellbeing of middle school students. |
