|
|
|
Early mental health intervention can yield positive outcomes and help prevent future issues across various areas of a child’s development. This can include improvements in emotional, behavioral, academic, and social domains. Receiving care from mental health professionals (such as psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors) can help improve emotional regulation, strengthen family relationships, enhance school performance, and support healthy long-term development (Simeonova, Akee & Copeland, 2023).
Improved Emotional Well-Being Psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) have been found to help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression in youth (Dickson, Kuhnert, Lavell & Rapee, 2022; Cujipers et al., 2023). CBT and related treatments can help anxious children learn to manage fears and reduce avoidance, leading to significant decreases in anxiety symptoms and diagnoses (Dickson et al., 2022). Similarly, previous literature suggests that psychotherapy is effective for treating depression in children and adolescents, with roughly 54% of youth achieving clinically significant improvement with therapy (versus about 32% with no treatment) (Cujipers et al., 2023). These effects may be attributed to improvements in emotional regulation and self-esteem after engaging in therapy. Through techniques like reframing negative thoughts, recognizing emotions, and practicing relaxation or mindfulness, children and teens can learn healthier ways to identify and manage complex emotions. Somatic therapy can be beneficial for youth who experience trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Somatic therapies like Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP) and Somatic Experiencing (SE) are effective in helping youth process trauma by focusing on body-based memories and sensations rather than verbal recounting, which can be overwhelming for children (Classen et al., 2021). Body-focused therapies help children and adolescents increase awareness of bodily cues linked to stress and dysregulation, which enhances their ability to manage strong emotions like fear, anger, or sadness (Maldei, Maier & Burger, 2021). Additionally, EMDR and other somatic-based therapies have been linked to reductions in PTSD symptoms, particularly when trauma is stored as non-verbal, bodily memory in youth (Scelles & Bulnes, 2021). Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has been widely studied as a treatment for adolescents with pervasive suicidal ideation (S/I), self-harm behaviors, and emotion dysregulation. It combines individual therapy, group skills training, coaching, and regular therapist sessions. DBT is grounded in three main theories: behavioral theory (changing problematic behaviors), biosocial theory (understanding emotional vulnerability and invalidation), and dialectical philosophy (balancing acceptance and change) (Rizvi et al., 2024). DBT for adolescents (DBT-A) consistently shows moderate to large effects in reducing self-harm, suicidal ideation, and emotional dysregulation compared to other therapies (Kothgassner et al., 2021; Syversen et al., 2024). Findings suggest that DBT-A leads to greater reductions in suicide attempts and overall self-harm, with benefits often sustained up to 1–3 years post-treatment. Among queer youth at high risk for suicide, many experienced significant improvements in emotion regulation, depression, borderline symptoms, and coping strategies (Poon et al., 2022). DBT can help manage anger and other aspects of emotional dysregulation by utilizing coping strategies (Goldstein et al., 2023; Haktanir et al., 2023). These can include understanding anger and its sources, as well as learning how to channel and express anger more constructively. Social and Interpersonal Skills Therapy for children and adolescents can enhance their social skills and relationships with others. Many youth may struggle with peer interactions, and mental health professionals can help them develop the tools to navigate the social world more effectively. Through role-playing, group therapy sessions, or targeted social skills training, children learn and practice important interpersonal behaviors like sharing, assertiveness, active listening, and empathy (Addington et al., 2021). For adolescents, therapy can address issues like peer pressure, loneliness, or communication difficulties. By discussing their social experiences in counseling, teens often gain perspective and confidence in handling relationships. Therapists may coach them on strategies for dealing with bullying or exclusion, which can aid in building resilience (Gubbels et al., 2021; Gilmore et al., 2022). Academic and School Performance Mental health treatment for youth is linked not only to personal well-being but also to improved academic performance and school outcomes. Research shows that effective therapy can produce meaningful gains in various academically relevant areas (Sulimani-Aidan & Melkman, 2021). Psychotherapy showed an overall positive effect on academic-related outcomes, including improvements in classroom attendance, academic achievement test scores, and self-reported school adjustment (Cujipers et al., 2023). Therapy often targets skills that are crucial for academic success, such as organization, time management, and problem-solving. Many interventions aid in teaching children how to plan tasks or cope with stress. By boosting hope and self-esteem, therapy helps children feel more connected and competent at school. Long-Term Developmental Benefits Early mental health intervention can yield long-term benefits that extend into adolescence and adulthood. In a longitudinal study tracking children who received mental health treatment versus those who did not, the treated children were found to have fewer depression and anxiety symptoms by age 30. They also achieved better economic and educational outcomes in adulthood compared to their untreated peers (Simeonova et al., 2023). This suggests that getting help early not only improves how a child is doing in the present but also sets them up for a more successful and stable future. References:
8 Comments
The primary goal of scientific researchers is to see themselves as objectively exploring the world through their studies. But based on numerous findings, we have found that research studies are inevitably influenced by the biases of the people conducting the work. This can be manifested in racial biases, gender biases, and much more. Racial bias being the most prominent, researchers must keep in mind that the samples of their study have to consist of each demographic equally. A lack of representation in these studies creates a cycle of mistrust for people of color in modern day research. And it makes sense - why would anyone fully trust research that has no evidence of results that are applicable to them?
The concept of the color line stems from genetic research dating back to the Holocaust. This was a time when eugenics were race-based studies that deemed certain European races as inferior. Researchers measured the noses of different groups and concluded that based on these differences, those with larger noses had smaller brains and were less intelligent. Many years would pass until archaeologists discovered that all humans originated from Africa and that no races are distinct from others based on physical attributes. We now know for a fact that brain size and intelligence have no correlation with race or even gender. One famous case of racism in research is the Tuskegee Syphilis Study in 1932. In this study, the U.S. Public Health Service department initiated an experiment in Alabama to determine the long term effects of untreated syphilis. At this time, penicillin wasn’t widely known and wasn’t available to the general public. White scientists were to use Black males as test subjects because they were believed to be “lustful” and “barbaric” and were prone to venereal diseases. Darwinism also had a role in this outrageous rationale that viewed African Americans as the lowest species in the Darwinian hierarchy. The general consensus among the researchers was that the test subjects wouldn’t be missed so it wouldn’t matter if they died during the experiment. This experiment unfortunately went on for decades until most of the men died from advanced syphilitic lesions. Even after penicillin came out in the early 1950s, they were not treated with it while the experiment went on. Only in 1972, when the study first appeared in the national press, did the department halt the experiment. An investigatory panel found the study to have been “ethically unjustified,” bringing about conversations of ethics and race in scientific research. It was a turning point in determining the moral implications of human experimentation. Many remember the Tuskegee Syphilis study, even today. This was a pivotal case that caused a deep mistrust in medical research by minority groups. This is echoed in today’s response to the COVID-19 vaccine - people of color are unwilling to become test subjects to an unknown medicine. Many question why they should trust a health care system that had historically brutalized Black people and other minority groups. This is a very controversial topic that has validity on both sides. People have the right to be skeptical about new medicine, but should also have the courage to be open-minded so that new findings can emerge from it. Most importantly, everything needs to be done ethically and transparently. This topic is an important one that needed to be discussed, especially during Black History Month. This month is a remembrance of our country’s history and how the sacrifice of many have allowed us to live the way we do today. Thank you to those who lost their lives in the Tuskegee Syphilis study so that we could now have serious discussions about ethics in research. Reference Brandt, A. M. (1978). Racism and research: The case of the tuskegee syphilis study. The Hastings Center, 8(6), 21-29. doi: 10.2307/3561468 |
Categories
All
Archives
August 2025
|