A Structured Conceptualization of Implementation-Sensitive Interventions for School Mental Health

Abstract

Implementation-sensitive approaches to school mental health have been proposed as being responsive to the needs of the education system. We worked with a group of expert stakeholders to identify a wide range of characteristics of implementation-sensitive approaches. These statements (n = 50) were sorted into concepts by 20 participants. Participants also ranked the importance of each statement. Group concept mapping created a six-concept solution including (1) Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, (2) Implementation Informed from the Outset, (3) Intervention Characteristics, (4) Evidence, Theory, and Practice-Informed, (5) Authentic Stakeholder Engagement, and (6) Ongoing Learning and Sustainability. We subsequently conducted two focus groups to gather feedback and contextualize the clusters.

Propelling the Global Advancement of School Mental Health

“…At Tier 1 (whole school prevention/promotion), by way of example, core elements of established mental health promotion programs tested across many countries were distilled to create a flexible classroom resource, co-created alongside teacher unions, made up of dozens of daily practices to affirm student strengths and identities and support Everyday Mental Health (Peddigrew et al, 2022 ; School Mental Health Ontario & the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, 2023 ). By selecting implementation sensitive interventions that are “fit for purpose,” identity-affirming for students, and deemed acceptable by stakeholders, School Mental Health Ontario is able to optimize the potential for uptake and sustainability of evidence-informed programming (Crooks et al, 2022 ).…”

Using Implementation Science to Optimize School Mental Health During the Covid-19 Pandemic

“…Because many school mental health interventions have been developed and tested from a western world view, it is critically important to acknowledge limitations and risks associated with programming that cannot be easily nuanced for the local context. Given these experiences, the Ontario school mental health approach recognizes the power of proven manualized programs but is interested in careful selection to ensure that interventions are not only evidenceinformed, but also implementation-sensitive (Crooks, Dunlop et al, 2022), culturally responsive, and identity-affirming. Further, to maximize the potential for scalability and sustained uptake, and culturally responsive delivery, SMH-ON has been exploring ways to best integrate high-yield interventions into the daily fabric of school life.…”