Do 'school coaches' make a difference in school-based mental health promotion? Results from a large focus group study.
BACKGROUND
Mental disorders in children and adolescents are common and have serious consequences. Schools present a key opportunity to promote mental health and implement prevention measures. Four school coaches in five German schools were enlisted to engage students, teachers and parents in building a sustainably healthy school and classroom climate.


METHODS
Altogether, 58 focus groups with students (N=244), parents (N=54) and teachers (N=62) were conducted longitudinally. Topics included: (1) the development of the school and classroom climate, (2) the role of mental health in the regular curriculum, and (3) the role of school coaches in influencing these aspects.


RESULTS
Over time, school coaches became trusted reference persons for an increasing number of school system members. They were able to positively influence the school and classroom climate by increasing the awareness of students, teachers and parents of mental health in daily routines. Nevertheless, topics like bullying and student inclusion remained an issue at follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, the school coach intervention is a good model for establishing the topic of mental health in everyday school life and increasing its importance. Future efforts will focus on building self-supporting structures and networks in order to make these efforts sustainable.
Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, University of Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, 04275 Leipzig, Germany, Sandro.Corrieri@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
Sandro
S
Corrieri
Ines
I
Conrad
Steffi G
SG
Riedel-Heller
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005178:Faculty / Q000592:standards*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012572:School Health Services / Q000592:standards*