Investigating the Longitudinal Association Between Fidelity to a Large-Scale Comprehensive School Mental Health Prevention and Intervention Model and Student Outcomes

Abstract

Many youth experience mental health problems. Schools are an ideal setting to identify, prevent, and intervene in these problems. The purpose of this study was to investigate patterns of student social, emotional, and behavioral risk over time among a community sample of 3rd through 12th grade students and the association of these risk patterns with fidelity to a school-based mental health model. Overall growth of social, emotional, and behavioral problems declined over a 3-year period. Four classes of students were identified using growth mixture modeling: (1) students with high levels of problems, (2) students with decreasing problems, (3) students with increasing problems, and (4) students with stable, low levels of problems. These growth trajectories were associated with fidelity to the model, in that trajectories where students with higher or increasing problems were more likely to be from schools with lower fidelity. Implications for practice and policy are provided.Impact StatementMental health issues interfere with the ability of children and youth to learn in the school setting. Schools can implement comprehensive mental health models that include universal screening, prevention, and evidence-based intervention. Doing so with high fidelity can lead to prevention of newly developing risk and in decreasing risk for students over time.