Conference Agenda

The mental health of young people is increasingly central on policy agendas in both Europe and internationally (World Health Organization, 2025). In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union have called for a "comprehensive approach to mental health" (Council of the European Union, 2025), in which schools are considered a key setting for prevention and early intervention. However, despite evidence of the efficacy of school-based mental health programmes (García-Carrión et al., 2019; Jayman et al., 2024), at present these are not generally integrated into national policies or government programmes (Margaretha et al., 2023). This reveals a disconnect between the need for psychological support in schools and the extent to which this need is addressed in existing policy.

This study identifies the barriers and facilitators to influencing national policies in European countries by exploring the perspectives of relevant research and policy actors. As such, the following research questions were developed:

1. How do researchers and policymakers in European countries attempt to influence national policies on school mental health?

2. What barriers and enablers do researchers and policymakers in Europe experience in bridging the research-policy gap for school mental health?

3. How do the experiences of policymakers and researchers compare with existing literature on research-policy engagement in school mental health?

Policy engagement, whereby all actors with a vested interest in a particular cause or issue make strategic efforts to influence policy development or reform (Young et al., 2014), has shown to be effective in influencing education policy (Aydarova et al., 2022; Bano & Oberoi, 2020; Moschetti et al., 2020). A systematic review identifying strategies policy engagement strategies for school mental health was conducted prior to this study. Researchers, in particular, were found to be key actors in engaging policymakers on school mental health. The systematic review also revealed that the literature describing strategies influencing national school mental health policies is dominated by studies based in North America. Given the cultural, political and societal differences between the North American context and those of countries in Europe, this study aims to address the research gap of documenting SBMH policy development in the European context, by collecting qualitative data from participants from research and policy backgrounds across nine European countries.

The research was funded by IMPROVA, an ongoing Horizon Europe project promoting mental health in secondary schools across Europe. The findings of this study can inform any stakeholder interested in the sustainable integration of mental health support in the education system through influencing local and national government policies.

In a changing society, social and emotional skills are becoming increasingly important as children need abilities to deal with everyday life challenges. Based on this idea the WHO Life Skills framework was developed. It comprises ten core life skills including empathy, problem-solving, creative and critical thinking, effective communication, decision-making, self-awareness, interpersonal relationships and coping with stress and emotions (WHO 1994). There are also other frameworks like the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) framework that encompasses similar skill sets (Durlak et al. 2025).

School-based universal programs designed for entire classrooms offer an effective approach to promote these skills through structured units implemented mostly by classroom teachers in regular lessons (Durlak et al. 2025). These programs provide advantages such as broad reach and low costs compared to other promotion approaches. Moreover, different studies demonstrate that such programs can reduce behavioural problems, sadness, and anxieties, while improving classroom climate, school engagement and mental health outcomes (Cipriano et al. 2023). The successful and sustainable implementation of programs depends on various factors that emerge at different stages of the implementation process, such as teachers' attitudes towards the program, but also the resources available to individual schools and school or class composition. Since these factors can have a significant impact on the implementation practices and program effectiveness (Durlak und DuPre 2008), it is necessary to take a closer look at the implementation in later phases as well.

The sustainable implementation of a program in practice is a long-term process and can lead to a “voltage drop”, which refers to a potential decline in effectiveness when programs are transferred from controlled evaluation settings to everyday school contexts. Additionally, a “program drift” may occur when teachers modify the program during implementation. If substantial changes are made and the core objectives are no longer pursued, it can reduce the program’s effectiveness. In contrast, minor adaptations that enhance alignment with the target group or contextual conditions may have positive effects (Chambers et al. 2013).

In their qualitative study, Hamilton et al. (2025) highlight the assumption that schools or classes with fewer resources and higher proportions of students with low socioeconomic status or behavioural challenges experience greater difficulties in implementing programs with high fidelity. This can lead to programs at these schools being discontinued or significantly modified after the initial implementation phase. Since social-emotional development is also linked to socio-economic factors (Conger und Donnellan 2007), this means that precisely those children who have a greater need for SEL support would no longer be able to benefit from programs, or at least not to the full extent.

In this context, Bauer (2005) describes a prevention dilemma that may contribute to an education-related Matthew effect (Merton 1968). Children who already have higher initial social and emotional resources are further supported, while those with fewer resources receive limited or substantially altered support. Cipriano et al. (2023) demonstrate in their meta-analyses that these differential effects of universal prevention programs remain insufficiently investigated.

In view of this, the present study examines the implementation quality of the Austrian life skills program PLUS by evaluating fidelity, which describes how closely the program was implemented according to its concept, and dosage, which indicates how many units of the program were actually delivered. Data collection took place after the initial implementation phase, which was supported by professional development for teachers, and addresses aspects of class composition (socio-economic, ethnic, and social-emotional) and implementation quality. The following research questions are addressed:(1) What is the implementation quality of the life skills program PLUS after initial implementation support has ended? (2) Are aspects of class composition associated with implementation quality?

This research project analyses curricula and interviews of teachers in four types of schools at primary and lower secondary levels in Norway. These are Norwegian public schools, Montessori schools, Steiner/Waldorf schools, and International Baccalaureate schools (IB). The project intends to contribute knowledge and understanding of holistic education by asking the research question, “What does it mean to educate the whole child?”.

The research results show both similarities and differences in what “educating the whole child” means. One common theme across the school types is a focus on health and well-being in all domains of development, this is present with both curricula and teachers. Teachers emphasize social and emotional well-being as a prerequisite for functioning in school. The results also show common values among the four school types, such as democratic values like equal rights, participation, diversity, and inclusion. The findings, at the same time, show great differences in the educational methods and approaches of the school types and teachers, pointing to areas of disagreement. In a European and international context, the research is relevant as Montessori, Steiner (Waldorf), and International Baccalaureate education are present in many countries, and the Norwegian public education system is part of the tradition of the Scandinavian and Nordic model, building on North European pedagogical traditions.

The project’s theoretical framework is based on two theories of holistic education, integrative curriculum theory (Mayes, 2019) and holistic curriculum theory (Miller, 2019). These theories belong to the field of holistic education, a field emerging since the mid-1980s (Miller 2019, p. 5). The topic of holistic education engages globally and is a diverse and inclusive field with impulses from many sources (Rudge 2008, p. 4; Forbes 2003, p. 2). There is no textbook definition of holistic education (Miller 1997, p. 75) and can be seen as an umbrella term covering different approaches and perspectives (Schreiner 2009, p. 755, 761). Although the field is broad and has many sources of influence, it also draws on known educators and philosophers. Often mentioned as historical influences are Rousseau, Pestalozzi, Froebel, Montessori, Steiner, and Dewey, amongst others (Miller, 2019, pp. 5-16, R. Miller 1997, pp. 92-101, Mayes 2019, p. 143).

According to Rudge (2008, p. 21), many educational alternatives are calling themselves holistic, but a clear definition of what educating the whole child means is often missing. The research projects review of current research shows that many publications use the term “whole child.” However, a part of the literature only concerns topics related to physical health or community services for supporting children, with less focus on education. Arguments for this type of “whole child” approach are that there is evidence of physical activity reducing obesity and diabetes and improving academic performance and cognitive functioning (Savina et. al 2016, pp. 283-286).

This research project argues that the focus on health and well-being represents a limited view of “whole child” education. Based on the findings this research project discusses the school types' different approaches to health and well-being. There are critical perspectives on the use of the “whole child” concept in education. Jones (2020) argues that it has become an “empty” signifier for neoliberal educational policies and is critical of the well-being agenda that belongs to this notion of “whole child” education. Similarly, there are other critics of simplified notions of well-being, like Shirley’s (2020) critique of current practices related to the new well-being agenda in education. The literature from the holistic education field offers a broader view of the “whole child”. One statement exemplifying this position holds that holistic education “addresses every aspect of individual growth and development” (Eaude 2019, p. 61).