Changes in students' social and emotional competences following the implementation of a school-based intervention program

Schools have been identified globally by policy makers as an ideal universal context to promote mental health for all students, to identify students with emerging mental health difficulties, and to target students with emotional and behavioral difficulties. However, studies on multi-informant perceptions of students’ social and emotional competences following the implementation of mental health programs at schools are limited. Current study examined teachers, students and parents’ perceptions of change in students’ social and emotional competences, following the implementation of a school-based intervention program Promoting Mental Health at Schools (PROMEHS). PROMEHS goal was to provide a systematic framework for the development and implementation of an evidence-based universal mental health curriculum at schools, to increase students’, teachers’ and families’ mental health and to support teachers, school leaders and policy makers to integrate mental health promotion into national educational policies effectively. Hundred fifty-two Greek teachers from kindergarten to secondary schools completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Teacher K-12 Form for their 1558 students’ social and emotional competences and 458 students completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Student Form for their own social and emotional competences. In addition, 492 parents completed the SSIS SEL Brief Scales – Parent Form for their children. Teachers reported moderate changes for their students’ social and emotional competences, which were further confirmed by students’ reports, but not by parents. Findings are discussed in terms of plans of action based on multi-informant data.