research work on mental health

Workers appreciate and seek mental health support in the workplace

APA’s 2022 Work and Well-being Survey results

More than two years into the covid -19 pandemic, the workplace looks very different than it did before many businesses were forced to shut down or adjust their practices. Facing the stress of isolation, fears of the virus, and an overwhelming news cycle, it appears many workplace leaders have realized the need to address mental health concerns among their staff.

The results of APA’s 2022 Work and Well-being Survey reveal that seven in 10 workers (71%) believe their employer is more concerned about the mental health of employees now than in the past. This new focus is highly valued by employees. In fact, 81% of individuals said they will be looking for workplaces that support mental health when they seek future job opportunities.

There is, however, a need for improvement. The data reveals that mental health problems are associated with a number of workplace issues, such as compensation failing to keep up with inflation, electronic monitoring of employees, certain groups experiencing discrimination and feeling a lack of acceptance, and some employees even experiencing toxic or abusive workplaces. Further, those who work in manual labor and customer service are not having the same experience as those doing office work. Employers, therefore, should look for opportunities to make improvements and listen to feedback from workers .

APA commissioned The Harris Poll to conduct the survey to look at workplace experiences and how they have changed (or not changed) in light of the pandemic; measure employee stress related to work; and capture what employees are looking for from their employers regarding their mental health in the context of the pandemic and changing priorities. This survey builds upon prior APA Work and Well-being surveys that explored Americans’ attitudes toward the workplace.

Why—and how—employers should support their workers’ mental health

A majority (81%) of survey respondents said that employers’ support for mental health will be an important consideration when they look for work in the future—including 30% of workers who strongly agreed that employer support for mental health will factor into their future job decisions. Given this insight, employers should consider mental health initiatives as a way to recruit and retain talent.

Employers can offer mental health support to their employees in different ways. When asked to select from a list of a dozen possible supports that they would like to see employers offer, flexible work hours was the most commonly chosen support (41% of workers), followed by a workplace culture that respects time off (34%), the ability to work remotely (33%), and a four-day work week (31%).

Many employees reported that their employers already offer some of these supports , such as flexible work schedules (46%) and remote work options (37%). Fewer reported that their employers already offer a culture where time off is respected (28%) or four-day work weeks (14%). Interestingly, less than a third (30%) reported that their employer offers health insurance with coverage for mental health and substance use disorders. However, of those who reported that their employer does offer such insurance, 93% reported that such insurance is an effective mental health support.

When such supports are offered, many employees consider them beneficial. For example, among those whose employers offer flexible work hours and the opportunity to work remotely, 95% reported that these are effective supports. Only 11% reported that their employer has people on-site who have received mental health training. But of those who reported their employer does offer this support, 94% considered this support effective, including 45% who said the support is very effective. Similarly, although only 28% reported that their employer offers a culture where time off is respected, 96% of those whose employers respect time off said that it is effective, and 63% called it very effective.

Overall, employer-provided support for mental health has increased; 71% reported believing their employer is more concerned about the mental health of employees now than they were in the past. When asked specifically whether mental health and safety initiatives have gotten better compared with before the covid -19 pandemic, one-third (31%) said they had. The experience appears to be different depending on work context. About one-third of both office workers (34%) and customer service/client/patient services workers (32%) said it has gotten better compared with before the covid -19 pandemic, but only one-quarter of manual laborers (25%) reported the same. Further, those in customer service/client/patient services roles were more likely to say that mental health and safety initiatives have gotten worse (10%), compared with office workers (6%) and manual laborers (5%).

With the array of challenges and stresses that employees face at work, employers should look at opportunities to improve well-being and health—including the suggestions their own workers offer.

Concerns about compensation failing to keep up with inflation may be related to workers’ well-being

A majority of employees (71%) said they are worried that their compensation has not kept up with inflation. Further, nearly one-quarter (24%) reported that they do not feel they receive adequate compensation. The workers who do not feel they receive adequate compensation cited two main factors for feeling this way: Pay has not kept up with inflation (60%) and does not reflect all of the work they do (52%).

Those who are worried that their compensation has not kept up with inflation were also significantly more likely to report negative impacts of work on their psychological well-being than their counterparts. Nearly two in five of those worried their compensation has not kept up with inflation (39%) said their work environment has had a negative impact on their mental health compared with 21% of those who were not worried about compensation, and more than half of those who were worried about inflation’s impact on their compensation (54%) typically felt tense or stressed compared with 34% of those who were not worried.

Employees who worried about their compensation not keeping pace with inflation not only were more likely to express work as having negative impacts on their mental health but also indicated openness to other opportunities. Around two in five of these workers said they intend to look for a new job (37% compared with 25% who were not worried) and were nearly twice as likely to say they have a desire to quit their job (21% vs. 12%).

Compensation has long been a key driver for attracting and retaining talent. However, these results suggest that it may be more important now than ever for employers to keep a careful eye on compensation given our current environment of surging inflation.

Workplace monitoring is common—and sometimes harmful

More than half of employees (53%) said their employer uses computers, software, cameras, bar-code scanners, or other technologies to monitor them while they work, while 47% said that their employer does not monitor them (to their knowledge). Of those who reported knowing that they are monitored, about half (51%) said they felt uncomfortable with the way their employer uses technology to track them.

Working in environments with electronic monitoring was also associated with a variety of mental health concerns. Employees who said they are monitored at work were more likely to report problems with emotional or psychological well-being at work. Six in 10 (60%) of those who said their employer monitors them also said that they typically feel tense or stressed during the workday, in comparison with fewer than four in 10 (35%) of those who said they are not, to their knowledge, monitored at work. Employees who said they are monitored at work were also more likely to report that their work environment has a negative impact on their mental health (45% vs. 22% of those who are not monitored).

In addition, nearly one-quarter (23%) of those who said their employer monitors them consider their workplace experience somewhat or very toxic, compared with 13% of those who said their employer does not monitor them.

The use of monitoring technologies is not only associated with employees’ negative feelings about the workplace but also how they view their industry. More than half of employees who are monitored at work reported worrying about the future of their industry (51%). In contrast, less than one-third (31%) of those who said they are not monitored expressed concern for the future of their industry.

The data does not indicate whether such concerns and worries are due to monitoring or whether monitoring happens to be more prevalent in work environments where workers are more likely to express such concerns. Nonetheless, this data raises questions for employers who are electronically monitoring employees or considering doing so.

Diverse leadership at companies associated with equity, diversity, and inclusion policies

With recent heightened attention to issues related to race, sexual harassment, and gender, some employers have tried to cultivate more welcoming and inclusive workplaces. Based on the findings in this survey, companies with women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals in senior leadership roles were more likely to have equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) policies, though whether an organization has such policies varied depending on the type of workplace.

Valuing equity helps diverse populations succeed and thrive. Diversity initiatives involve the representation or composition of various social identity groups in the workplace. Inclusion policies help ensure an environment that offers affirmation, celebration, and appreciation of different approaches, perspectives, and experiences.

Nearly two-thirds of workers at organizations with women (65%), racial and ethnic diversity (64%), or LGBTQ+ representation (66%) in senior leadership reported that their organization has diversity policies in place. These numbers were similar with regard to equity policies, which were reported by 67% of workers at organizations with women or racial and ethnic diversity in senior leadership, as well as 65% of those working for employers with LGBTQ+ representation in leadership positions. Comparable percentages of workers said their organizations have inclusion policies, with 65% of those whose employers have women or racial and ethnic diversity in senior leadership and 66% of those working for employers with LGBTQ+ representation reporting the presence of these policies in their workplace.

EDI policies are more commonly found in office settings than in manual labor workplaces. Compared with manual laborers, office workers were more likely to report their company has equity policies (61%) compared with manual laborers (49%), as well as diversity policies (60%) to (45%) and inclusion policies (60%) to (50%).

Younger workers more likely to view EDI policies as “mostly for show”

Even when an office has EDI initiatives, workers questioned whether they make a difference in the workplace culture. Among those who reported that their company has EDI initiatives, nearly half (47%) felt the efforts are mostly for show.

This view of EDI policies was most common for employees between ages 26 and 43; three-fifths (60%) of workers in this age group said the efforts are mostly for show. More than half of 18- to 25-year-olds (53%) also said they think the efforts are mostly for show, with much smaller percentages of older groups feeling the same. The percentage dropped to 37% among workers between ages 44 and 57, dropped to 29% among those 58 to 64, and to 25% of those 65 and older.

Overall, this data suggests that employers need to ensure that their EDI policies are meaningful, lead to measurable results, and are not merely “for show.”

Toxic and abusive workplace experiences are too common

Nearly one in five (18%) employees described their workplace as somewhat or very toxic. A toxic workplace was reported by 22% of employees in manual labor and 21% in customer service/client/patient services jobs, but a significantly lower percentage (15%) among those who have office jobs.

Harm in the form of harassment, verbal abuse, or physical violence in the workplace—either by someone within their organization or outside of it—has been experienced by three in 10 workers (30%) within the last year. More than one in five employees (22%) said someone within their organization (such as a coworker or manager) or outside their organization had abused them verbally in the workplace.

Many workers may not have experienced an abusive workplace but said they feel scared while at work. Black and Latino adults were more likely to say that they are often scared at work (29% for Black adults and 31% for Latino adults). Younger adults were also more likely to say that they are often scared when compared with adults ages 44 or older. A total of 38% of 18- to 25-year-olds and 32% of 26- to 43-year-olds reported feeling frightened at work compared with 17% of 44- to 57-year-olds, 10% of 58- to 64-year-olds, and 6% of workers age 65 and older.

While toxic and abusive workplaces are far from ubiquitous, this data suggests they remain too common, particularly in manual labor and customer service/client/patient services settings. This is an important issue for employers to monitor and address.

Workers from marginalized groups more likely to report discrimination

While 13% of all workers said they have been the target of discrimination (i.e., unequal treatment based on some aspect of identity such as race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability status, age, etc.) in their workplace, this number was higher for employees from marginalized populations.

More than one-quarter of workers with a disability (27%) said they have been the target of discrimination in their workplace, while fewer than one in 10 workers without a disability (8%) said the same. Discrimination was experienced by more LGBTQ+ workers than non-LGBTQ+ workers (22% vs. 12%), and Black workers were nearly twice as likely as White workers to report that they have experienced discrimination on the job (21% vs. 11%). Workers with children were more than twice as likely as workers who are not parents or caregivers to say they have been the target of discrimination (19% vs. 9%).

Overall, this data shows that discrimination in the workplace unfortunately remains a serious issue, especially for those who are disabled, LGBTQ+, or Black.

Overall job satisfaction is high, but less so among manual laborers and service workers

The good news is that most Americans are very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with their jobs. However, Americans feel different about their satisfaction at work depending on their workplace environment. While 91% of all workers said they are very or somewhat satisfied with their jobs, this feeling was more common among office workers (92%) than among those who do manual labor (86%).

The survey also found variations in workers’ satisfaction across different demographics. For instance, a smaller percentage of LGBTQ+ workers (85%) reported being satisfied than non-LGBTQ+ workers (92%).

Respondents also varied in their satisfaction at work depending on socioeconomic, education, and workplace factors. A larger percentage of workers who have an annual household income of $50,000 or more (92%) reported that they are satisfied at work than those with an income under $50,000 (84%). Workers who have at least some post-high school education were more likely than those with a high school degree or less to feel satisfied at work (92% vs. 86%). And while most of those in upper-level roles (95%) were satisfied with their job, a smaller percentage of those in frontline positions (87%) said the same.

Similarly, those who work in an office were the most likely to say that changes related to work schedules are better today than they were prior to the pandemic (38% of office workers vs. 27% of manual laborers and 29% of customer service/client/patient services workers). One in 10 manual laborers (10%) said that work schedules are now worse, with a similar percentage of customer service/client/patient services workers saying the same (9%). Only 5% of office workers reported that current work schedules are worse than prepandemic.

With the shift toward remote office work resulting from the pandemic, attention to the psychological well-being of office workers has increased. This data, however, suggests employers may need to do more to focus on the needs of those in manual labor and customer service/client/patient services roles.

A variety of factors linked to job satisfaction

Just as they are satisfied at work overall, employees reported satisfaction with specific aspects of their jobs. Work schedule—which includes factors such as the number of hours worked and flexible scheduling options—was cited by 86% of workers as a satisfying aspect of their work. A majority of workers also said they are satisfied with the opportunities to be innovative or creative in their work (84%), how well their workplace is preparing them for their industry’s future (84%), the communication they receive from their employer (83%), the mental health support their employer provides (81%), and opportunities for growth and development where they work (81%).

The research was conducted online in the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of APA among 2,016 adults aged 18+ who reside in the U.S. and are employed full-time, part-time, or self-employed. The survey was conducted April 22–May 2, 2022.

Data are weighted where necessary by age by gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, marital status, household size, work status, household income, and propensity to be online to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in our surveys. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within plus or minus 3.3 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to other multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including, but not limited to coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and postsurvey weighting and adjustments.

Related resources

Survey resources.

• Survey questions (PDF, 156KB)
• Press release: APA poll shows employees plan to seek workplaces with mental health supports
• 2021 Work and Well-being report
• Press contact: Sophie Bethune Telephone: (202) 336-6134

Psychology and the workplace

• Topic: Healthy workplaces
• 5 ways to improve employee mental health
• Supporting employees’ psychological well-being for maximum return
• How organizations are leading in making employee mental health a priority

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How to foster mental health excellence in your workplace

Tune in as experts get to the core of APA’s 2022 Work and Well-being survey and break down how you can use this information. This event features a panel with leaders from two organizations who have made commitments to mental health excellence in their workplaces.

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Resources for employees, managers, and leaders.

Simone Biles’s withdrawal from Olympics competition has reignited a global conversation about mental health and work. Here’s some resources for those struggling with mental health at work, as well as managers who want to prepare for these these conversations with employees.

As the latest in a series of high-achieving public figures who has taken a step back from work to focus on their mental health, Simone Biles has reignited an ongoing conversation about mental health, disclosure, and stigma.

But public figures are not alone: More and more people are talking to their bosses about their mental health. Surveys show employees want to work at a company whose culture supports mental health ; in fact, it’s becoming one of the most-requested benefits in the wake of the pandemic . This is especially true for young workers: In a recent Deloitte survey of more than 27,000 Millennials and GenZers around the world, nearly half ranked mental health as their first or second priority.

As a manager, how can you prepare yourself for these conversations with your employees? Or better yet, what can you do if you’re the one personally struggling with mental health at work? Here are some resources to help.

For Individuals

We Need to Talk About Mental Health at Work

In the U.S. one in four adults struggle with it. (November 2018)

What Covid-19 Has Done to Our Well-Being in 12 Charts

The pandemic has led to mental health declines, increased work demands, and feelings of loneliness. But the news isn’t all bad. (February 2021)

Make Mental Health Your #1 Priority

In a global survey, 48% of Gen Zs said they feel anxious most of the time. (September 2020)

Your Mental Health and Your Work (podcast)

At a time when we bring so much of ourselves to work, mental health is still something we don’t like talking about at the office. But so many high-achieving people have suffered — or are currently suffering — from anxiety, depression, or other mental and emotional issues. (September 2019)

When You Need to Take Time Off for Mental Health Reasons

And how to get back into the swing of things afterward. (March 2018)

For Managers

Research: People Want Their Employers to Talk About Mental Health

Nearly 60% of employees have never discussed their mental health at work. (October 2019)

When Your Employee Discloses a Mental Health Condition

Best practices for navigating the conversation. (February 2021)

Talking About Mental Health with Your Employees — Without Overstepping

Three tips. (November 2020)

Eight Ways Managers Can Support Employees’ Mental Health

Nearly 42% of employees report a decline in mental health since the pandemic began. (August 2020)

Five Ways Bosses Can Reduce the Stigma of Mental Health at Work

One in four adults struggle with a mental health issue. (February 2019)

• This story is by the staff at Harvard Business Review.

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• Published: 10 May 2023

Mental health awareness: uniting advocacy and research

Nature Mental Health volume  1 ,  pages 295–296 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

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Mental Health Month has been observed to reduce the stigma that is associated with mental illness and to educate the public and encourage individuals to make their mental health and wellbeing a priority. It is an important moment to bring the strengths of advocacy groups and researchers together to promote mental health awareness and to improve equity.

Observances have become a popular tool to garner media and notice for topics deserving attention, from medical conditions to public health concerns, commemoration of notable events, or celebration of cultural groups. Codifying the scope and needs connected to an issue or illness through awareness campaigns can provide opportunities for imparting useful information, reducing stigma and marshalling support for policy change. The impact of awareness campaigns can be difficult to measure beyond tallying social media mentions or news stories. Effective advocacy, however, extends beyond traffic and paves the way for the creation of knowledge and partnerships among allies and with those whose interests are being represented. When the magnitude of an issue and the potential for improvement are great and are matched by broad involvement and recognition by stakeholders, the possibility for impact is also great.

Held annually in May, Mental Health Month , also called Mental Health Awareness Month, is an observance with such reach, resonating with many people. Nearly everyone has experience with the challenges that are associated with mental health, either first-hand or through loved ones or in their community. There is a need for education, support and initiative to improve our understanding of the causes of mental health disorders and to increase the availability of resources for prevention and treatment. Mental Health Month also offers the possibility of bringing together groups who often work in parallel, such as mental health advocates and mental health research organizations, that can mutually benefit from each other’s functions and expertise.

Mental Health Month was first established in the US in 1949 by the National Mental Health Association, now known as Mental Health America . At a time more often associated with the outset of the Cold War and Marshall Plan than setting an agenda for domestic mental health and wellbeing advocacy, in the more than 70 years since, Mental Health Month has grown into an international event designed to reduce exclusion, stigma and discrimination against people with mental health conditions or disorders. Mental Health America are joined by other prominent mental health advocacy groups to sponsor related observances: Mental Health Awareness Week Canada (1–7 May, 2023) and Europe (22–28 May, 2023); and federal agencies such as the Substance Use Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ( SAMSHA ) in the US, promoting related public education platforms, including National Prevention Week (7–13 May, 2023).

Observances and awareness campaigns also provide occasions to put mental health in context. Increasing acknowledgment of the role of social determinants, for example, as mechanisms that can increase vulnerability for developing disorders and that drive disparities in mental health are an important framework to underscore as part of promoting mental health awareness. Given the complex and broad scope of people, disorders, conditions and issues under the umbrella of mental health, observances also give us the chance to focus more closely on specific problems or experiences. The theme for Mental Health Month in 2023 is ‘Look Around, Look Within’, which emphasizes the interdependence of mental health and wellness with an individual’s internal and external experiences and environments.

“The ‘Look Around, Look Within’ theme builds on the growing recognition that all humans have mental health needs and that our available resources to build resilience and heal come in many forms — including in the natural world,” explains Jennifer Bright, Mental Health America Board Chair and President of Momentum Health Strategies. “Mental Health America’s strategic plan, focused on NextGen Prevention, carries a similar theme — that the social factors supporting mental health are essential building blocks. These encompass basic needs like healthy food, stable housing, and access to treatment and supports, but they also include spirituality, connection with peers with lived experience, and safe and natural spaces.”

Overlapping with Mental Health Month, Mental Health Foundation sponsors Mental Health Week in the UK (15–21 May, 2023), dedicating this year to raising awareness around anxiety. It shares an individual-centered approach to advocacy. In addition to providing toolkits and resources that point to how prevalent stress and anxiety can be to reduce stigma, it also promotes the accessibility of coping strategies for managing anxiety. As part of the Mental Health Awareness Week campaign, Mental Health Foundation and others use the international symbol of wearing a green ribbon or clothing to physically raise awareness around mental health. Nature Mental Health also incorporates the symbol of the green ribbon on the cover of this month’s issue and as our journal theme color. Green evokes the ideas of vitality, growth, new beginnings and hope — powerful imagery in mental health awareness.

Alongside stories, sponsorships and social media resources, mental health advocacy toolkits and strategy documents include fact sheets and messaging that are shaped and informed by research. Yet, there is often a perception that a divide exists between the mental health advocacy and research spaces, but observances such as Mental Health Month can bridge the two.

According to Lea Milligan, Chief Executive Officer of MQ: Transforming Mental Health , an international mental health research organization, there are complementary approaches and priorities in advocacy and research: “Mental health research can be used to bolster awareness by providing evidence-based information and resources that can help individuals and communities better understand mental health and the factors that contribute to mental health problems. This can include information on risk factors, prevention strategies, and available treatments.”

In addition, increased efforts to involve people with lived experience of mental illness in the research enterprise is a goal that is well-served through connection with advocacy. “While MQ is primarily focused on promoting mental health research, it also recognizes the importance of advocacy in advancing the mental health agenda” suggests Milligan. “MQ advocates for increased funding and support for mental health research, as well as policies that promote mental health and wellbeing. Additionally, MQ seeks to empower individuals with lived experience of mental health conditions to be involved in research and advocacy efforts, and to have their voices heard in the development of policies and programs that affect their lives. MQ provides resources and support for individuals with lived experience who wish to be involved in research or advocacy efforts, including training programs, research grants, and opportunities to participate in research studies.”

Involvement or engagement is certainly one of the most important metrics of advocacy. By strengthening collaboration between advocacy and research organizations and identifying the mutual areas of benefit, such as engagement and increased funding, we may find new ways to green light mental health awareness and action toward mental health equity.

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Ellice Weaver / Wellcome

Understanding what works for workplace mental health: putting science to work

This report summarises what we’ve learned from our first commission on promising approaches for addressing workplace mental health. It also sets out why businesses and researchers need to work together to take a more scientific approach to supporting mental health at work. 

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What’s inside

• findings from ten research projects that looked at the evidence behind promising approaches for supporting workplace mental health 
• suggested actions businesses can take, based on this evidence 
• reflections on gaps in the evidence and why it’s important for businesses and scientists to work together to understand what works. 

Who this is for

• policy makers
• researchers.

Key findings  

Businesses all over the world are thinking about how they can most effectively support the mental health of their staff. But despite growing interest and investment in workplace mental health initiatives in recent years, there is still so much we don't know about what works and what doesn’t. 

In 2020, Wellcome commissioned ten global research teams to look at the existing evidence behind promising approaches for addressing anxiety and depression in the workplace, with a focus on younger workers. 

Key findings include:

• Excessive sitting has risks for both physical and mental health. Reducing the time office workers spend sitting by an hour a day may reduce depression symptoms by approximately 10% and anxiety symptoms by around 15%.
• Flexible working can benefit mental health by decreasing the amount of conflict people experience between their work and home lives. This conflict can be a source of stress and may contribute to anxiety and depression.
• More job autonomy is associated with lower rates of anxiety and depression. Employers can increase employees' autonomy by allowing them more freedom to craft how they do their roles. 
• There is significant evidence from high-income countries to show that workplace mindfulness interventions have a positive impact on mental health. But far less is known about their effectiveness in low- and middle-income countries. 

The research identifies important gaps in our knowledge about what works. Businesses and scientists need to work together to fill these gaps in the evidence to understand how employers can most effectively support the mental health of their staff. 

Downloads  

Summary report.

• Putting science to work: understanding what works for workplace mental health PDF 7.3 MB

Individual research reports submitted to Wellcome

• Breaking up excessive sitting with light activity PDF 1.1 MB
• Buddying at onboarding PDF 1.2 MB
• Employee autonomy PDF 1.9 MB
• Financial wellbeing interventions PDF 1.1 MB
• Flexible working policies PDF 1.4 MB
• Group psychological first aid for humanitarian workers and volunteers PDF 1.3 MB
• Mental health peer support PDF 1.8 MB
• Mindfulness in hospitality and tourism in low- and middle-income countries PDF 1.8 MB
• Social support interventions for healthcare workers PDF 3.3 MB
• Workforce involvement and peer support networks in low- and middle-income countries PDF 1.4 MB

Contact us  

For more information, contact Rhea Newman, Policy and Advocacy Adviser, at [email protected] .

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A Plan for Mental Health Research

By Joshua Gordon

May 22, 2020

There he is! Strains of “Pomp and Circumstance” are drowned out by applause as soon as my wife and I recognize our son’s name. Four years of diligent planning and working hard culminates in this moment as he strides across the stage … or rather, as his name slides slowly across our television screen. Welcome to College Graduation 2020: Coronavirus (COVID-19) edition. While many of his plans came through — he worked hard at his studies, busied himself with internships and part-time jobs, made deep friendships — not all of our son’s plans worked out. Certainly, he did not plan on his last two months of college going online, his only opportunity to say goodbye through Zoom, and his graduation ceremony, speakers and all, happening on YouTube. Yet the core of those plans worked out — and my wife and I couldn’t be prouder of what he’s accomplished, and we look forward with excitement to what he’ll do next.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the uncertainties we all face, but also the value of a good plan. A good plan assesses where you’re at and identifies where you want to go. It sketches out a pathway to get there and identifies priorities, opportunities, and anticipated pitfalls. But, as COVID-19 has reminded us, a good plan also remains flexible, because you never really know what you’ll encounter along the way.

This week, during Mental Health Awareness Month, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is unveiling its own plan: the new NIMH Strategic Plan for Research . We’ve been working hard on this iteration of the Strategic Plan for the past year — the last two months, like many of you, through teleworking at home — and we’re pleased to be able to release the final version. The Plan starts with where we currently are, recognizing the advances in knowledge and treatment that got us to where we are today. It reiterates where we want to go–towards prevention, recovery, and cures for mental illnesses. And with some new features, it seeks to enshrine the flexibility necessary to ensure we stay on the cutting edge.

At the centerpiece of this Plan is the notion that biomedical research is critical to the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses. We can see this by looking back at what we have accomplished in just the past five years since the last iteration of our Strategic Plan. Research is rapidly transforming the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses across a broad range of disciplines. In genetics, we have identified hundreds of places in the genome linked to mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia , autism , and depression . In basic neuroscience, the  NIH Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative   has fostered the development of new tools and resources that have dramatically increased our ability to study the exquisite complexities of the living brain. In translational sciences, thanks to the hard work of many NIMH-funded investigators, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two of the first truly novel antidepressants in decades —  esketamine for treatment-resistant depression, and brexanolone for postpartum depression. And in services research, NIMH-sponsored studies proving the utility of coordinated specialty care for first-episode psychosis resulted in the nationwide implementation of this evidence-based care model through state-supported mental health clinics. 

Looking forward to the next five years and beyond, the NIMH Strategic Plan for Research aims to build on these advances. Integrating input from a broad coalition of stakeholders, including individuals with lived experience, families, providers, advocates, scientists, federal partners, and more, we’ve attempted to identify areas where NIMH-funded science can have the greatest impact. The Plan outlines four high-level goals, which form a broad roadmap for the Institute’s research priorities over the next five years. These goals are:

• Goal 1: Define the Brain Mechanisms Underlying Complex Behaviors
• Goal 2: Examine Mental Illness Trajectories Across the Lifespan
• Goal 3: Strive for Prevention and Cures
• Goal 4: Strengthen the Public Health Impact of NIMH-Supported Research

We will further these goals by supporting investigator-initiated research and through targeted funding announcements. We will also take into account cross-cutting themes — like the need to continue to expand computational and theoretical approaches and to emphasize reaching underserved communities — that inform research throughout our portfolio.

Built into this Strategic Plan are some novel features to ensure that we maintain the flexibility we’ll need to keep pace with ever-evolving scientific approaches and research priorities that may lead to new discoveries. Unlike prior Strategic Plans, which have been static documents, the new NIMH Strategic Plan for Research will be a web-based, living document. This will allow us to highlight key research projects and findings from NIMH and NIMH-funded investigators that advance the Institute’s mission on a linked Progress page for each goal. These Progress pages will allow our stakeholders to follow our scientific advancements over time. The Strategic Plan itself will be updated regularly as we identify and prioritize new opportunities.

At NIMH, we’re incredibly excited about the progress we’ve been making and even more excited to put this Strategic Plan into action. Carefully executed, the Plan should continue to drive the enthusiastic and energetic efforts of the research workforce devoted to our mission. More importantly, it should offer hope and solutions to individuals with mental illnesses, as well as their families and communities. Finally, it should be flexible enough to deal with whatever comes our way over the next five years. We may not have a graduation ceremony at the end, but like my son, we’ve still got plenty to look forward to.

Research Topics & Ideas: Mental Health

100+ Mental Health Research Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

If you’re just starting out exploring mental health topics for your dissertation, thesis or research project, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll help kickstart your research topic ideation process by providing a hearty list of mental health-related research topics and ideas.

PS – This is just the start…

We know it’s exciting to run through a list of research topics, but please keep in mind that this list is just a starting point . To develop a suitable education-related research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan of action to fill that gap.

If this sounds foreign to you, check out our free research topic webinar that explores how to find and refine a high-quality research topic, from scratch. Alternatively, if you’d like hands-on help, consider our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Overview: Mental Health Topic Ideas

• Mood disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• Psychotic disorders
• Personality disorders
• Obsessive-compulsive disorders
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Neurodevelopmental disorders
• Eating disorders
• Substance-related disorders

Mood Disorders

Research in mood disorders can help understand their causes and improve treatment methods. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• The impact of genetics on the susceptibility to depression
• Efficacy of antidepressants vs. cognitive behavioural therapy
• The role of gut microbiota in mood regulation
• Cultural variations in the experience and diagnosis of bipolar disorder
• Seasonal Affective Disorder: Environmental factors and treatment
• The link between depression and chronic illnesses
• Exercise as an adjunct treatment for mood disorders
• Hormonal changes and mood swings in postpartum women
• Stigma around mood disorders in the workplace
• Suicidal tendencies among patients with severe mood disorders

Anxiety Disorders

Research topics in this category can potentially explore the triggers, coping mechanisms, or treatment efficacy for anxiety disorders.

• The relationship between social media and anxiety
• Exposure therapy effectiveness in treating phobias
• Generalised Anxiety Disorder in children: Early signs and interventions
• The role of mindfulness in treating anxiety
• Genetics and heritability of anxiety disorders
• The link between anxiety disorders and heart disease
• Anxiety prevalence in LGBTQ+ communities
• Caffeine consumption and its impact on anxiety levels
• The economic cost of untreated anxiety disorders
• Virtual Reality as a treatment method for anxiety disorders

Psychotic Disorders

Within this space, your research topic could potentially aim to investigate the underlying factors and treatment possibilities for psychotic disorders.

• Early signs and interventions in adolescent psychosis
• Brain imaging techniques for diagnosing psychotic disorders
• The efficacy of antipsychotic medication
• The role of family history in psychotic disorders
• Misdiagnosis and delayed treatment of psychotic disorders
• Co-morbidity of psychotic and mood disorders
• The relationship between substance abuse and psychotic disorders
• Art therapy as a treatment for schizophrenia
• Public perception and stigma around psychotic disorders
• Hospital vs. community-based care for psychotic disorders

Personality Disorders

Research topics within in this area could delve into the identification, management, and social implications of personality disorders.

• Long-term outcomes of borderline personality disorder
• Antisocial personality disorder and criminal behaviour
• The role of early life experiences in developing personality disorders
• Narcissistic personality disorder in corporate leaders
• Gender differences in personality disorders
• Diagnosis challenges for Cluster A personality disorders
• Emotional intelligence and its role in treating personality disorders
• Psychotherapy methods for treating personality disorders
• Personality disorders in the elderly population
• Stigma and misconceptions about personality disorders

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

Within this space, research topics could focus on the causes, symptoms, or treatment of disorders like OCD and hoarding.

• OCD and its relationship with anxiety disorders
• Cognitive mechanisms behind hoarding behaviour
• Deep Brain Stimulation as a treatment for severe OCD
• The impact of OCD on academic performance in students
• Role of family and social networks in treating OCD
• Alternative treatments for hoarding disorder
• Childhood onset OCD: Diagnosis and treatment
• OCD and religious obsessions
• The impact of OCD on family dynamics
• Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Causes and treatment

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Research topics in this area could explore the triggers, symptoms, and treatments for PTSD. Here are some thought starters to get you moving.

• PTSD in military veterans: Coping mechanisms and treatment
• Childhood trauma and adult onset PTSD
• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) efficacy
• Role of emotional support animals in treating PTSD
• Gender differences in PTSD occurrence and treatment
• Effectiveness of group therapy for PTSD patients
• PTSD and substance abuse: A dual diagnosis
• First responders and rates of PTSD
• Domestic violence as a cause of PTSD
• The neurobiology of PTSD

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

This category of mental health aims to better understand disorders like Autism and ADHD and their impact on day-to-day life.

• Early diagnosis and interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder
• ADHD medication and its impact on academic performance
• Parental coping strategies for children with neurodevelopmental disorders
• Autism and gender: Diagnosis disparities
• The role of diet in managing ADHD symptoms
• Neurodevelopmental disorders in the criminal justice system
• Genetic factors influencing Autism
• ADHD and its relationship with sleep disorders
• Educational adaptations for children with neurodevelopmental disorders
• Neurodevelopmental disorders and stigma in schools

Eating Disorders

Research topics within this space can explore the psychological, social, and biological aspects of eating disorders.

• The role of social media in promoting eating disorders
• Family dynamics and their impact on anorexia
• Biological basis of binge-eating disorder
• Treatment outcomes for bulimia nervosa
• Eating disorders in athletes
• Media portrayal of body image and its impact
• Eating disorders and gender: Are men underdiagnosed?
• Cultural variations in eating disorders
• The relationship between obesity and eating disorders
• Eating disorders in the LGBTQ+ community

Substance-Related Disorders

Research topics in this category can focus on addiction mechanisms, treatment options, and social implications.

• Efficacy of rehabilitation centres for alcohol addiction
• The role of genetics in substance abuse
• Substance abuse and its impact on family dynamics
• Prescription drug abuse among the elderly
• Legalisation of marijuana and its impact on substance abuse rates
• Alcoholism and its relationship with liver diseases
• Opioid crisis: Causes and solutions
• Substance abuse education in schools: Is it effective?
• Harm reduction strategies for drug abuse
• Co-occurring mental health disorders in substance abusers

Choosing A Research Topic

These research topic ideas we’ve covered here serve as thought starters to help you explore different areas within mental health. They are intentionally very broad and open-ended. By engaging with the currently literature in your field of interest, you’ll be able to narrow down your focus to a specific research gap .

It’s important to consider a variety of factors when choosing a topic for your dissertation or thesis . Think about the relevance of the topic, its feasibility , and the resources available to you, including time, data, and academic guidance. Also, consider your own interest and expertise in the subject, as this will sustain you through the research process.

Always consult with your academic advisor to ensure that your chosen topic aligns with academic requirements and offers a meaningful contribution to the field. If you need help choosing a topic, consider our private coaching service.

Good morning everyone. This are very patent topics for research in neuroscience. Thank you for guidance

What if everything is important, original and intresting? as in Neuroscience. I find myself overwhelmd with tens of relveant areas and within each area many optional topics. I ask myself if importance (for example – able to treat people suffering) is more relevant than what intrest me, and on the other hand if what advance me further in my career should not also be a consideration?

This information is really helpful and have learnt alot

Phd research topics on implementation of mental health policy in Nigeria :the prospects, challenges and way forward.

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Children and Adolescents Mental Health: A Systematic Review of Interaction-Based Interventions in Schools and Communities

Rocío garcía-carrión.

1 Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida, Spain

Beatriz Villarejo-Carballido

2 Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain

Lourdes Villardón-Gallego

Background: There is growing evidence and awareness regarding the magnitude of mental health issues across the globe, starting half of those before the age of 14 and have lifelong effects on individuals and society. Despite the multidimensional nature of this global challenge, which necessarily require comprehensive approaches, many interventions persist in seeking solutions that only tackle the individual level. The aim of this paper is to provide a systematic review of evidence for positive effects in children and adolescents' mental health resulting from interventions conducted in schools and communities in which interaction among different agents is an integral component.

Methods: An extensive search in electronic databases (Web of Knowledge, SCOPUS, ERIC, and PsycINFO) was conducted to identify interventions in which interactions between peers, teachers, families or other community members or professionals played a role. Their effects on children and adolescents' mental health were also reviewed. We carried out a systematic review of papers published from 2007 to 2017. Eleven studies out of 384 met the inclusion criteria. Seven of the articles reviewed focus on interventions conducted in schools and promote supportive interactions involving students, teachers, families and mental health professionals. Four of the articles develop interventions that engage community members in dialogic interactions with children and adolescents.

Results: Interventions in schools and communities implement strategies that foster supportive interactions among diverse actors including teachers, parents, community members, and other professionals. The effects of the mental health interventions reported on children and adolescents' problems include a decrease in disruptive behaviors and affective symptoms such as depression and anxiety, together with an increase in social skills, as well as an improvement in personal well-being.

Conclusions: There is evidence of a positive effect on the mental health of children and adolescents, both in decreasing symptoms of mental disorder and in promoting emotional well-being. Whereas, interactions among different actors seem to be a relevant aspect across the interventions, more research is needed to conclude its effect on the outcomes of the studies reviewed.

Introduction

Childhood and adolescence are critical periods to promote mental health as more than half of mental health problems start at these stages, and many of these persist throughout adult life (Kessler et al., 2005 ). Currently, this has become a priority as worldwide data shows an increase in the prevalence of mental health issues in childhood and adolescence (de la Barra M, 2009 ) and the percentage of those afflicted reaching nearly 20% (WHO, 2016 ). The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that many of these children and adolescents are not receiving the specialized care they require (Mills et al., 2006 ; Weist and Murray, 2008 ; Green et al., 2013 ).

Consequently, important efforts to bring together the best evidence about mental health have been done and raised the challenge of agreeing about fundamental issues in the field such as the definition of mental health and other related concepts (Mehta et al., 2015 ). According to WHO, mental health is understood not as a mere absence of illness, but rather, in a broader sense, as a state of well-being in which individuals develop their abilities, face the stress of daily life, perform productive and fruitful work, and contribute to the betterment of their community (WHO, 2004 ). This definition served as the basis for WHO Mental Health Action Plan, 2013–2020, which incorporates the concepts of mental health promotion, mental illness prevention and treatment, and rehabilitation. Particularly, developmental aspects of children and young people, including, for instance, the ability to manage thoughts, emotions, as well as to build social relationships, and the aptitude to learn, are emphasized in the plan as critical facets to be tackled in mental health interventions.

Mental health interventions conducted in schools and in the communities start from the premise that the problems experienced by adolescents are determined by the interaction of individual, environmental and family factors (Manjula, 2015 ). Accordingly, schools and communities offer an optimal context to intervene as children and adolescents grow and develop through social interaction. Schools and communities can make the most of its environment to foster child and youth development and to promote good mental health (Weist and Murray, 2008 ). Many of the mental health programs implemented in schools promote the development of social skills, socio-emotional competences, and learning outcomes while at the same time reducing disruptive behavior (Dowdy et al., 2010 ; Moreira et al., 2010 ; Durlak et al., 2011 ; Suldo et al., 2014 ). The school environment and climate can therefore play a critical role in encouraging the promotion of protective factors for mental health, such as social-emotional competences and skills (Osher et al., 2012 ).

Hence, social and cognitive development is enacted through social interactions in a particular cultural and social context (Vygotsky, 1978 ; Bronfenbrenner, 1979 ). Drawing on the contributions of Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development, human interaction that takes place in the social and cultural context enhances learning and is fundamental for psychological function. These cultural processes in which people learn and developed occur through interactions with others, including symmetrical (peer) as well as expert–novice (e.g., teacher–student) relations (Rogoff, 1990 ; Cole, 1996 ). Importantly, specific instruments have been produced to capture productive forms of dialogue across educational contexts (Hennessy et al., 2016 ).

Most of the research have been devoted to understanding the central role played by the quality of dialogue and interaction between students, in small group classrooms, or in whole class setting teacher-student interaction (see review by Howe and Abedin, 2013 ). Furthermore, research conducted in community-based schools has also reported the benefit of involving families and community members in learning interactions with elementary students, especially for those belonging to vulnerable populations (Flecha and Soler, 2013 ; Valls and Kyriakides, 2013 ). Accordingly, community plays a central role as human develop through their interactions in the sociocultural activities of their communities (Rogoff, 2003 ). Similar improvements have been reported among students with disabilities as a result of engaging in caring and supportive interactions among peers and with other adults when solving academic tasks in interactive groups (García-Carrión et al., 2018 ). The relevance of productive forms of dialogue and supportive interactions among peers, teachers and other community members, have also reported positive effects in 4th grade students prosocial behavior (Villardón-Gallego et al., 2018 ). These studies evidence the potential of educational interventions that draw on the potential of fostering interactions among different agents and promote productive dialogues as a tools for academic and social improvement.

However, when searching for mental health improvement through dialogic interactions, the research is scarce. The pioneering study carried out by Seikkula and Arnkil ( 2006 ) showed the psychological and social benefits of the therapy based on open and anticipation dialogues with adults and adolescents that also involved the family along with the professionals. Rather than focusing in the individual, facilitating supportive interactions among peers, professionals and family members might be an asset underpinning mental health interventions with children and adolescents. This study showed the critical role of collective interactions, which were very different from a dialogue between two individuals (Seikkula and Arnkil, 2006 ). They identified multi-system treatments (MST) characterized by engaging in close interaction professionals with adolescents, family, and other networks. Replication of these US studies in Norway found evidence of effectiveness, particularly, in the adolescents' social skills (Ogden and Halliday-Boykins, 2004 ). However, according to Seikkula and Arnkil ( 2006 , p. 181): “what ultimately caused the observed outcome was not revealed. After all, methods do not help or cure anyone as such. Psychological methods -and other interaction-based means- exist as they user activity.”

Whereas, determining the effect of the interaction itself in the outcomes obtained might be problematic, the authors of these paper aim to examine interaction-based mental health interventions, defined as those in which collective interactions, that involve professionals, family and community members with children and adolescents, are an integral component of the intervention. This systematic review focuses on those interventions conducted in schools and communities and its outcomes on children and adolescents' mental health. According to the WHO definition of mental health provided above, primary studies selected for this review will include positive outcomes in a broader sense, comprising not only the reduction of symptoms of mental disorder but also the promotion of emotional well-being.

The study carries out a systematic review (Gough et al., 2013 ), a methodology developed by the EPPI Centre of the UCL Institute of Education. We have also taken into account the recommendations by PRISMA (Moher et al., 2009 ) and checklist by Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) (Lockwood et al., 2015 ), in order to offer transparency, validity, replicable, and updateable in this study.

Search Strategy

This systematic review has been focused and defined by the question: Do interaction-based mental health interventions in schools and communities have positive effects among children and adolescents? This question has been defined in terms of PICOS: In children and adolescents (Population) are interaction-based interventions (Intervention) effective in decreasing disruptive behaviors and affective symptoms such as depression and anxiety (in children and adolescents with mental health problems), and in increasing social skills, and improving well-being and academic engagement (in children and adolescents in general)? (Outcomes).

For the review, empirical articles published in international scientific journals in the areas of psychology, education, and mental health and focused on interventions among children and youth between 2007 and 2017 were searched and screened. To that effect, the following databases were analyzed: Web of Knowledge, SCOPUS, ERIC, and PsycINFO.

The articles were searched using the following keywords: “school-based,” “community-based,” “dialogue,” “mental health,” “well-being,” “emotional development,” “interventions,” “program,” “interaction,” and “prevention.” The exploration was completed with searches that employed synonyms or derivatives of the keywords. The keywords were also combined to refine the search. The publications containing the search criteria in the title, in the keywords and in the abstract were include.

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

In order to identify and select the studies most relevant to our research, inclusion and exclusion criteria were established.

The inclusion criteria were the following:

• - Special population group: children and adolescents.
• - Target age: 6 to 18 years of age, inclusive.
• - Mental health interventions in which collective interactions, including professionals, families, and community members with children and adolescents, are an integral component.
• - Studies reporting outcomes of the intervention in decreasing symptoms and/or promoting well-being.

The exclusion criteria were the following:

• - Interventions focus on early childhood, youth, or adults.
• - Target age is not specified, or the target population is below 5 or above 18 years.
• - Mental health interventions focusing on one-to-one interactions (i.e., professional-child/professional-adolescent).
• - The intervention is not described or assessed, as in trials, theoretical research or literature reviews.

Selection Process

The first part of the search yielded a total of 384 articles from indexed journals: 183 in published in the WOS database, 12 in Scopus, 33 in ERIC and 156 in PsycINFO. All these articles were entered into the Mendeley software for its screening and review. Basic information such as the title, year, authoring, and abstracts was obtained and introduced in a spreadsheet for a first screening.

From the 384 articles gathered in the initial search, the titles and their authors were subsequently revised in order to eliminate duplicates. This review was carried out by the members of the group independently in order to eliminate duplicate documents, specifically 83 were duplicates and were therefore discarded, resulting in a new total of 301 articles.

Abstracts of the 301 articles were reviewed according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. As a result, 17 articles initially met the inclusion criteria and were eligible for the review (see Figure 1 ). The articles were downloaded for an in-depth review.

Flow diagram to show the process of study selection.

The three researchers examined the articles independently and extracted the most relevant information that was included in a spreadsheet. The information referred to: (a) study characteristics (author, country, selection criteria, design, data acquisition period), (b) population (target population, age and sample size), (c) settings, and (d) type of study. Once the articles were examined in depth against inclusion and exclusion criteria, discrepancies were discussed to reach a consensus in the final selection of the studies. This first review and discussion of the studies of the 11 articles lead to the elimination of a further six articles that did not adequately fit the inclusion criteria. Thus, a total of 11 articles were finally selected for analysis ( Figure 1 ).

Quality Assessment

The quality of the selected studies was assessed using a checklist following the methodological guidance for systematic reviews developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) (Lockwood et al., 2015 ). The selected studies were checked against nine questions. The results of the evaluation are presented in the Table 1 .

Quality of studies.

Q1. Is there congruity between the stated philosophical perspective and the research methodology?

Q2. Is there congruity between the research methodology and the research question or objectives?

Q3. Is there congruity between the research methodology and the methods used to collect data?

Q4. Is there congruity between the research methodology and the representation and analysis of data?

Q5. Is there congruity between the research methodology and the interpretation of results?

Q6. Is the influence of the researcher on their search, and vice-versa, addressed?

Q7. Are participant, and their voices, adequately represented?

Q8. Is the research ethical according to current criteria or, for recent studies, and is there evidence of ethical approval by an appropriate body?

Q9. Do the conclusions drawn in the research report flow from the analysis or interpretation, of the data?

Data Analysis

For the analysis of the studies, the three researchers developed an analytical grid to systematize the most relevant information for the purpose of the review: study characteristics, interactions fostered during the intervention, positive effects and information for assessment of the risk of bias. Each researcher analyzed the studies independently aiming at identifying on the one hand, how the interventions promote interactions between different agents, and on the other hand, the effects of the interventions on the target population. Firstly, data was categorized following an inductive method. Secondly, researchers compared their analysis to reach a consensus to report main findings from the review.

The analysis of 11 mental health interventions targeting children and adolescents reported the benefits for both -students with mental health problems as well as healthy participants- resulting from their participation in the programs analyzed. Nine of the studies show the effects of preventive interventions aim to reduce future problems and to promote mental health among children and adolescents without mental health problems. Only two studies target children who had already contacted the school-based mental health service (Fazel, 2015 ) and adolescents who presented depressive symptoms (Connell and Dishion, 2008 ). Overall, the articles reviewed show a series of studies conducted mainly in the US context, seven out of ten, whereas the rest of the studies were carried out in the United Kingdom and Kenya. Seven of the interventions were conducted in schools and four of them were based in the community.

All the studies have shown to promote positive mental health in increasing well-being and preventing other related problems, as well as in reducing affective symptoms among those participants who were already affected. A detailed analysis of the strategies implemented across the mental health programs revealed an emphasis on fostering interactions among the children and adolescents engaging them in dialogues that involved different agents -teachers, families, community members, mental health professionals. An overview of the articles selected is provided in Table 2 .

Summary of included studies.

Supportive Interactions in Mental Health Interventions

Interactions among students, teachers, family, and community members and other professionals play an important role in the interventions analyzed. The mental health programs developed in schools and communities include specific strategies that have an emphasis on enacting peer support, partnerships and dialogic spaces for the children and adolescents to engage in supportive interactions with other relevant peers or adults.

Collaborative Interactions Among Children, Teachers and Parents in the School Context

Interactions between teachers and students underpin the strategies of the mental health interventions in different specific ways, which include tutoring, interviews, consultation meetings, peer-assisted learning strategies, interactive games, cooperative non-competitive building games, among others. (Bradshaw et al., 2009 ; Houlston et al., 2011 ; Cappella et al., 2012 ; Ohl et al., 2013 ; Atkins et al., 2015 ; Fazel, 2015 ). Overall, five of the studies implement strategies aim at developing children social skills through interaction and collaboration.

Similarly, interventions focus on “group interactions” as a preventive strategy that seek to reduce future mental health problems and to promote well-being (McWhirter and McWhirter, 2010 ). Specifically, two group-oriented prevention programs—Project Family Rejuvenation Education and Empowerment and Group-Oriented Psychological Education Prevention- are characterized by small-group discussions among students and with their mothers; in both settings participants engage in dialogue in a nonthreatening climate while encouraging cultivation of feedback and support between them (McWhirter and McWhirter, 2010 ).

Moreover, three studies promoted collaborative interactions between parents, teachers, and mental health professionals (Bradshaw et al., 2009 ; McWhirter and McWhirter, 2010 ; Atkins et al., 2015 ). Interactive features of these mental health programs include building positive peer groups and partnerships, solving problems peacefully, and fostering parent-student interactions, among others. This aligns with the need for an integration of the school ecology into program planning and the implementation of effective programs, as observed in the Link to Learning (L2L) service model instituted in classrooms and homes to support children with disruptive behavior disorders living in urban low-income communities (Atkins et al., 2015 ). In the same vein, collaboration between parents and teachers in classrooms is at the heart of the Family-School Partnership Program (Bradshaw et al., 2009 ). Discussion-based interactions include parents reading aloud to their children, with a particular emphasis in the promotion of reasoning among the students. Interaction is guided-by open-ended questions after the reading or using other materials, such as videotapes. Parents reacted to and discussed the situations and problem-solved alternative approaches. Discussions were also held on problem situations arising at home.

Fostering Communicative Skills and Home–School Interaction

Communication skills and family communication practice are a central component of READY—a family-based intervention program to prevent HIV infection and mental health problems (Puffer et al., 2016 ). The interaction and the communication skills training involved families, caregivers, children, and the community, as the intervention was carried out in religious congregations. By improving family communication as a protective factor against mental health disorders, READY draws on a promising approach to strengthen protective family processes that may prevent future negative outcomes for adolescents (Puffer et al., 2016 ). In conjunction with these activities, and while the program was being implemented, interaction was also fostered, using a voicemail system to cultivate parents' involvement and to provide consultation on an as-needed basis, and asking parents to fill in and return comment sheets indicating whether they had completed the weekly home activities and whether they had encountered any problems.

For their part, Atkins et al. ( 2010 ) carried out an intervention that targeted home-school communication and home routines that support learning, homework support, and daily readings. They promoted interaction between parents and teachers by means of two techniques: Daily Report Cards and Good News Notes. Daily Reports Cards, on the one hand, consist of cards in which teachers and parents join efforts to identify, monitor, and reinforce behaviors that interfere with learning. Teachers and parents agree on a rating system to track behaviors, a reward schedule, and a plan for monitoring intervals that will enhance both direct feedback to students and home-school communication. Good News Notes, on the other hand, are certificates that teachers send to families detailing desirable behaviors exhibited by children, as a means to provide positive weekly feedback to parents. The Notes identify students' strengths, scaffold behavior improvement by reinforcing small achievements, and balance infraction reports with positive feedback.

Overall, these studies report a multilevel approach, tackling schools, families, communities, and mental health providers and services. The three articles include programs that evidence the crucial role of family and parental engagement in promoting mental health among adolescents (Connell and Dishion, 2008 ; Puffer et al., 2016 ) and children (Atkins et al., 2015 ). According to Connell and Dishion ( 2008 ), providing family-centered services in the school environment facilitated family engagement in the program.

Engaging in Dialogue With Community Members

Engaging in dialogue with the very community members who might be at risk of suffering mental health problems is essential for the success of the intervention. Some strategies for their involvement include the creation of a local Community Advisory Committee (Puffer et al., 2016 ) or a Community Advisory Board (Kia-Keating et al., 2017 ). The latter engage participants in reciprocal dialogues on solutions for issues ranging from violence exposure and health disparities to the difficulties encountered by youth people seeking to thrive, as exemplified by the HEROES Project (Kia-Keating et al., 2017 ).

There have been other community-based organizations studied in California, aimed at promoting “cultures of health” by engaging people in building social networks, by fostering solidarity and collective efficacy, or by promoting a shared commitment to the collective well-being (Puffer et al., 2016 ). Overall, these programs promote dialogic spaces in which the voices of the minorities, who have often been excluded, are instead given prominence and listened to, in order to look for solutions that will address the inequalities affecting their communities.

The effects of the interventions carried out in schools and communities with an emphasis on fostering supportive interactions as discussed above have benefited children and adolescents as reported in the following dimensions:

• Internalizing symptomatology: Three studies include interventions that have had positive effects on the treatment and prevention of affective disorders such as depression and anxiety. Thus, Connell and Dishion ( 2008 ) ascertained, throughout 3 years, their potential to reduce and prevent the increase of depressive symptoms in at-risk early adolescents. Likewise, Ohl et al. ( 2013 ) confirmed the effectiveness of relationships for decreasing emotional symptoms. McWhirter and McWhirter ( 2010 ) garnered the results of the GOPEP intervention program (McWhirter et al., 1997 ), based on group sessions and on conjoint sessions, which entailed substantial collaboration between researchers and participants, and confirmed the effectiveness of the SOAR program (Student Optimistic Attitudes and Resilience Program) in reducing anxiety and depression. The FREE program, for its part, was effective in decreasing self-isolation among children and their mothers, survivors of domestic violence.
• Externalizing symptomatology: Four articles present improvements in aspects related to aggression and behavioral issues. Ohl et al. ( 2013 ) confirmed that the Pyramid project helped improve peer problems; however, they did not find positive effects on behavioral problems. McWhirter and McWhirter ( 2010 ) gathered evidence confirming the effectiveness of the FREE project in decreasing family conflict, and of the SCARE (Student-Created Aggression Replacement Education) program, one of the GOPEP intervention programs, in decreasing and managing aggression, anger, and violent behaviors. However, Cappella et al. ( 2012 ) did not find significative differences in behavioral regulation as an effect of their BRIDGE intervention, although children identified as having behavioral problems benefitted more than their peers in the area of social relations. On the other hand, Bradshaw et al. ( 2009 ) confirmed the long-term positive effects in reducing behavioral and mental-health problems resulting of the CC intervention.
• Personal well-being: Six of the studies reported positive effects on strengthening psychological-related aspects to well-being, including self-concept, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and empowerment, among others. Cappella et al. ( 2012 ) confirmed the existence of a positive effect of intervention on children's academic self-concept. Atkins et al. ( 2015 ) found a significantly greater improvement on social skills among children who had been involved in the intervention, whereas Ohl et al. ( 2013 ) ascertained its positive effect on prosocial behavior. Houlston et al. ( 2011 ) confirmed that peer support improves self-esteem in victims of bullying, as well as their perception of the support provided by friends and other students. Participants stated that peer support had a positive impact on students' relationships, improving and building peer networks with trained peer supporters and other students. More specifically, in bullying situations, students considered peer support to be helpful for a number of reasons, including being able to talk about it, having peers to interact with, or helping bullied students to tell others of their plight.
• Bloemraad and Terriquez ( 2016 ) gathered the opinions of people taking part in activities organized by CBOs (Community-Based Organizations). Results provide evidence of the impact that involvement in CBOs has on participants, namely when preparing to enroll and succeed in college, as well as on their self-reported civic capacity developing skills, which encompass skills as diverse as communicating with others, understanding the impact that government decisions have on the community, speaking in public, or planning events. Besides, the involvement in CBOs improves personal empowerment and self-efficacy, as participants learn to stand up for their beliefs, become more aware of health issues impacting their communities, and learn about their own culture or ethnic group. As for health and education outcomes, participants became more informed about college and career options, took better care of their personal health, and improved their school grades.
• McWhirter and McWhirter ( 2010 ) showed that the FREE project resulted in an increase in children's and women's emotional well-being, peer engagement and self-esteem in children, as well as women's self-efficacy.
• Context: Five of the interventions reported improvements on the classroom climate and teacher-student and peer interactions. The study carried out by Cappella et al. ( 2012 ), based on BRIDGE intervention, demonstrates how classroom interactions generate a positive climate where emotional support and teacher sensitivity are prominent. These interactions also promote a positive classroom climate, characterized by optimal behavior management, productivity, and instructional learning formats. Furthermore, they have been verified to help develop instructional support, more positive teacher expectations regarding children's behavior, and a more responsive teacher-student relationship. The study by McWhirter and McWhirter ( 2010 ), based on group interventions, highlights that interacting with other people helps build positive peer/adult relationships. These conclusions are shared by Puffer et al. ( 2016 ), whose study focused on family communication, and who conclude that intra-family communication improves well-being. In a similar vein, Bloemraad and Terriquez ( 2016 ) find that the interactions fostered by the intervention improve well-being in the community.

The present systematic review of studies has fulfilled the objective of identifying evidence for positive effects of interaction-based interventions in schools and communities in children's and adolescents' mental health. We have shown that mental health interventions, in which supportive interactions are fostered among different actors, have a positive effect in decreasing affective symptoms and in increasing personal wellbeing among children and adolescents.

We detected in these programs an emphasis on engaging children and adolescents in supportive interactions with other relevant adults, such as teachers, family, community members, and other professionals. Overall it showcases the benefits children and adolescents without mental health problems can reap, particularly in preventive interventions as nine of the studies focused on. Only two studies target adolescents and children with mental health problems (Connell and Dishion, 2008 ; Fazel, 2015 ). The literature analyzed sheds light on the importance of preventive interventions where different agents work together toward the common goal of promoting children's and adolescents' mental health (Atkins et al., 2015 ; Kia-Keating et al., 2017 ).

Positive effects on mental health are achieved through interventions that are culturally appropriate and culturally grounded (Bloemraad and Terriquez, 2016 ; Puffer et al., 2016 ; Kia-Keating et al., 2017 ). This is particularly important in those interventions which require the active engagement of families and community members. The role of family and community members emerges as particularly relevant and providing them with communicative skills and fostering home-school communication are assets for the mental health interventions. Schools thus become an ideal space to facilitate family and community involvement, and they consequently present a great potential for enhancing positive parent-teacher, teacher-student and student-student interactions. This is consistent with other research that has focused on the benefits of school-based mental health interventions to help them develop cognitively, socially, and emotionally (Fazel et al., 2014 ).

There is enough supporting evidence on the potential of these interventions for schools to create a positive climate based on instructional and emotional support, solidarity and friendship that improves the well-being of children and communities (McWhirter and McWhirter, 2010 ; Bloemraad and Terriquez, 2016 ; Puffer et al., 2016 ). Available evidence on the effectiveness of these studies attests to the attainment of positive gains in students' academic achievement, which will also lead to other long-term positive effects that will help prevent behavioral and mental-health problems (Bradshaw et al., 2009 ). This positive effect is particularly strong in high poverty contexts (Atkins et al., 2015 ). Particularly relevant is the reduction of anxiety and depression, especially in light of the marked increase of the latter, currently ailing 4,4% of the world population (WHO, 2017 ).

Overall, we argue that interaction-based approaches in mental health interventions, that involve diverse actors in productive forms of dialogue and supportive interactions, are consistent with the benefits reported by the sociocultural approaches to learning and development (Vygotsky, 1978 ). However, in this systematic review we have not been able to determine the effect of the interaction on the effectiveness of the intervention. This is consistent with the literature, as effective mental health interventions, which include collective interactions among different agents as a central element of the intervention, did not revealed how those interactions were linked to the positive outcomes obtained (Seikkula and Arnkil, 2006 ). Similarly, the primary studies reviewed do not established a direct link of the interaction component of the intervention with the positive mental health outcomes. This question still remains.

Limitation and Future Directions

In this systematic review we have reviewed a set of interventions for both adolescents and children, without explicitly distinguishing within the two study groups. This raises a limitation as children and adolescents can potentially show different needs in terms of mental and behavioral support. Consequently, there could be potential differences in the outcomes that have not been considered in this review. In the same vein, this study only reviewed research in English and most research was conducted in the United States, which could also limit the generalizability of the results.

On the other hand, the concept of interaction we explored it is a broad concept that presents some limitations in providing a consistent definition within the interventions. Furthermore, the primary studies reported the effects of the intervention as a whole. Therefore, their methodological designs do not allow to identify the specific effect on mental health of the interaction itself. Still there is a gap to determine the effect of the interactions on the mental health outcomes. Further research is needed to explore the particular role and potential of social interaction to promote children and adolescents' mental health.

Conclusions

This systematic review of 11 studies has focused on mental health interventions in which interaction plays an important role. Supportive interactions carried out in the framework of mental health interventions involve various contexts, agents and systems, including teachers, parents, mental-health professionals, and members of the community.

There is evidence of a positive effect on the mental health of children and adolescents, both in decreasing internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and in promoting personal well-being. Factors that foster mental health as social support or engagement also increase with interventions programs that include interaction as a main feature.

However, more research is needed into the specific impact of interaction on the mental health of children and adolescents, as well as analyzing the type of interactions that have the most beneficial effect.

Author Contributions

RG-C wrote the proposal of this systematic review with the input and contributions of the research team BV-C and LV-G. RG-C and LV-G planned the search in databases and defined exclusion and inclusion criteria for the selection of the articles. BV-C carried out the search, screen the materials and proposed a selection. All the authors checked and refined the selection of the studies. Each author drafted a section of this manuscript. All authors reviewed the whole manuscript, read and approved the submitted version.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Funding. The work leading to this invention has received funding from the Spanish Research Grants EDU2017-88666-R and EDU2015-66395-R (MINECO/FEDER, UE).

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Frontiers | Science News

• Science News

Arts and crafts improves your mental health as much as having a job, scientists find

Scientists from Anglia Ruskin University used data from a major national survey to investigate the impact of taking part in creative activities like sewing or painting on how much people reported enjoying their lives. They found that creativity had as great an influence on participants’ wellbeing and happiness as sociodemographic factors like age and health. Helping people to access affordable opportunities for creativity could be a major boost to public mental health.

Could arts and crafts help protect the public’s mental health? A new study in Frontiers in Public Health provides evidence that indulging our creative side could provide everyone with a significant wellbeing boost. Because arts and crafts are relatively affordable and accessible, promoting the public’s access to artistic activities could provide a major boost to public mental health.

“Crafting and other artistic activities showed a meaningful effect in predicting people’s sense that their life is worthwhile,” explained Dr Helen Keyes of Anglia Ruskin University, lead author. “Indeed, the impact of crafting was bigger than the impact of being in employment. Not only does crafting give us a sense of achievement, it is also a meaningful route to self-expression. This is not always the case with employment.”

A stitch in time

The scientists were inspired by the urgent need to improve public mental health in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Any measures that could improve levels of wellbeing, and lower levels of loneliness, in the general population would have significant benefits. Some studies have already shown that specific craft activities can be therapeutic for people with mental health conditions. If taking part in arts and crafts in general has a positive impact on wellbeing for people without a diagnosed illness, promoting the accessibility of arts and crafts could contribute significantly to public mental health.

The scientists analyzed a sample of 7,182 participants from the annual Taking Part survey conducted by the UK’s Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, which evaluates public engagement with cultural, digital and sporting activities. This broad sample allowed the scientists to investigate the impact of creative arts generally rather than specific crafts, and helped them evaluate how effective arts-based interventions might be beyond a controlled clinical setting.

The scientists controlled for sociodemographic variables that we already know affect the experience of wellbeing: gender, age group, health, employment status, and level of deprivation. For instance, poorer health, unemployment, and higher levels of deprivation have all been linked to lower wellbeing.

Read and download original article

Painting a picture

All participants were asked to rate their sensations of happiness, anxiety, and life satisfaction, and to give their impression of whether life is worthwhile. They were also asked how often they felt lonely. When asked about their engagement with crafts, 37.4% of respondents confirmed that they had taken part in at least one craft activity over the last twelve months.

The people who took part in arts and crafts reported higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction, as well as a stronger sense that life is worthwhile. The boost to respondents’ sense that life is worthwhile was as significant as being in employment. However, engagement with arts and crafts didn’t predict levels of loneliness. This could be because some crafts can be solitary: further research will be needed to investigate the social aspects of arts and crafts.

“Engaging in these activities is linked with a greater sense that life is worthwhile, increased life satisfaction and happiness,” said Keyes. “The wellbeing effects were present even after we accounted for things like employment status and level of deprivation. It seems that crafting can contribute positively to your wellbeing above and beyond these other aspects of your life.”

Although these effects are small, their magnitude is similar to that of sociodemographic variables, which are much harder to change. Leveraging the positive effects of artistic activities therefore offers a significant opportunity to improve the public’s wellbeing.

“Governments and national health services might consider funding and promoting crafting, or even socially prescribing these activities for at-risk populations, as part of a promotion and prevention approach to wellbeing and mental health,” said Keyes.

“There is certainly something immensely satisfying about seeing the results of your work appear before your eyes,” added Keyes, who enjoys DIY — especially painting and decorating. “It feels great to focus on one task and engage your mind creatively.”

However, the scientists cautioned that this is a correlational study. More research will be required to confirm causation.

“We can’t know for certain whether crafting is directly causing this increase in wellbeing,” explained Keyes. “The next step would be to carry out an experimental study where we measure people’s wellbeing before and after significant periods of crafting.”

REPUBLISHING GUIDELINES : Open access and sharing research is part of Frontiers’ mission . Unless otherwise noted, you can republish articles posted in the Frontiers news site — as long as you include a link back to the original research. Selling the articles is not allowed.

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August 16, 2024

Angharad Brewer Gillham

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The link between work and mental health

Signs and symptoms of a mental health issue at work, coping with work-related mental health problems, how to care for your mental health at work, mental health and working at home, how to talk to your employer about mental health, mental health in the workplace.

Are you struggling with anxiety, depression, burnout, or bullying at work? There are ways to cope with a toxic workplace, ease the stress of remote working, and improve your work-life balance.

Work can play a huge role in your overall health and welfare. In addition to the financial benefits, your job can add meaning, structure, and purpose to your life. It can also provide you with a sense of identity, bolster your self-esteem, and offer an important social outlet.

However, working in a negative environment can have the opposite effect and take a heavy toll on your emotional health. Long hours, understaffing, a lack of support, and harassment in the workplace can ramp up your stress levels and contribute to mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. These problems have only been exacerbated by the pandemic and the major shifts in our working habits over the last couple of years. Many of us have spent months adapting to the new stressors of working remotely, for example, only to now have to re-adjust to commuting and working onsite again. It’s left us feeling tense, unhappy, and worried about the future and how we spend our days.

Just as work can impact your mental health, so too, your mental health can affect your work, impacting your job performance and productivity. In fact, recent estimates suggest mental health issues cost the global economy $1 trillion annually in lost productivity, absenteeism, and staff turnover.

For most of us, a lot about our workplace environment remains outside our control. The culture at work is established by those in senior positions above us and we often feel unable to speak out without fear of judgment or risking our jobs. But whether your mental health issues are caused by your workplace or stem from elsewhere and are affecting your performance at work, there are steps you can take to care for yourself and protect your well-being. With these tips you can learn to talk to your employer about mental health, cope with common challenges at work, increase your resilience, and better strive to fulfill your potential—in the workplace and beyond.

Workplace risk factors for mental health

Common work-related challenges that can negatively impact your mental health include:

• Long, inflexible hours, short-staffing due to cutbacks or unfilled vacancies, or an ever-increasing workload.
• Working remotely with no clear separation between work and personal time.
• A toxic workplace that fosters bullying, harassment, or abuse.
• Lack of training or guidance for the role you’re expected to fulfill.
• Limited or unclear communication from management about tasks, goals, or decision-making.
• Lack of support, shortage of equipment or other job resources, or unsafe working practices.

We all have bad days at work from time to time, days when nothing seems to go right. You may have difficulty focusing, feel overly stressed, irritable, or unappreciated, or lack the energy and motivation to complete even the most basic task. But if this is how you feel day after day, it can be a red flag that something is wrong.

Many mental health problems can creep up on you slowly. You can get so used to feeling frazzled, anxious, and downbeat at work that it starts to feel “normal”. But ignoring the early signs of a problem won’t make it go away; it will just become worse over time, leaving you vulnerable to illnesses and other health problems, causing burnout , and damaging your job performance, relationships, and home life.

While the symptoms of mental health problems can vary wildly according to the condition and the person experiencing them, it’s important to be aware of any changes to how you’re thinking, feeling, and behaving. If you identify with several of the following symptoms in yourself (or in a work colleague or employee), it could indicate that it’s time to reach out for help.

• Decline in your performance at work. You struggle to function in your daily duties at work (as well as at home or social life).
• Trouble concentrating and thinking. You have problems focusing on tasks or experience difficulties with your memory, thinking, or even changes to your speech patterns.
• Changes in your appetite or sleeping patterns. Struggling with insomnia, sleeping too much, sudden changes in how much you eat, or relying more and more on drugs and alcohol to cope.
• Changes in your mood. You feel hopeless, helpless, on-edge, or experience uncharacteristic mood swings or even suicidal thoughts.
• Loss of interest in activities. You lose interest in aspects of your work that you previously enjoyed, quit hobbies you used to love, or withdraw from friendships and social activities. This could be accompanied by pronounced apathy.
• Fear or nervousness. You feel overly suspicious of others at work or socially, or feel suddenly nervous and fearful in certain situations.
• Increased sensitivity. You’re more sensitive to sights and sounds and try to avoid any situations that are over-stimulating.
• Unusual behavior. You feel disconnected to your surroundings, exhibit uncharacteristic, unusual, or out of control behavior, see or hear things that aren’t real.
• Unexplained aches and pains, such as headaches, upset stomach, or muscle pain.

When stress, harassment, or mental health problems negatively affect your performance, relationships, and physical functioning at work, you may feel isolated, overwhelmed, and struggle to know where to turn. But you’re far from being alone.

Recent surveys suggest that about one in five US adults report having a mental health issue each year while 70% experience symptoms of stress. While most people never seek help, there are steps you can take today to start improving how you feel.

While some stress can provide you with the focus and energy to meet deadlines and challenges at work, too much can take a toll on your health and productivity. When you’re constantly worried about being laid off, having to work longer and longer hours, or feeling under pressure at work all the time, your mood, personal life, and job performance will suffer.

No matter how stressful your job is right now, there are ways you can relieve the pressure, lower your stress levels, and regain a sense of control. Read Stress at Work .

It’s normal to feel down or unhappy every now and then, but feeling like you’re in a black hole, hopeless and helpless, could be a sign of depression. When you’re depressed, you feel so listless and despairing that it impacts your ability to work, eat, sleep, and find enjoyment in life. Just getting out of bed in the morning can seem overwhelming.

But as bleak as things may seem at the moment, there are steps you can take to boost your mood, overcome feelings of sadness and despair, and regain a sense of hope. Read Coping with Depression .

Like stress, not all anxiety is bad. In manageable doses, it can help you face a challenging situation, such as a job interview or important presentation. But when you’re plagued by constant worrying, negative thoughts, or an overwhelming sense of tension or panic, it can interfere with your daily life and ability to perform in the workplace. Anxiety can drain you emotionally, leave you feeling nervous and restless, and trigger insomnia, headaches, stomachaches, and muscle tension.

Whatever type of anxiety disorder you’re facing, there are ways to turn off anxious thoughts and find calm again. Read: Anxiety Disorders and Anxiety Attacks .

Bullying or harassment

When bullying, abuse, or harassment occur in the workplace, it can create a hostile environment and have a damaging impact on your mood, outlook, and overall health and well-being. Whether you’re being targeted because of your gender, race, sexual orientation, or religion, you may work in constant fear, feel compelled to take time off sick whenever possible, or even want to quit, regardless of the financial consequences.

While you may feel powerless to put a stop to bullying and harassment, especially when the perpetrator is a boss or high-performing colleague, there are steps you can take to regain control. Document the negative behavior, seek support from any coworkers who’ve witnessed it, and then approach someone higher-ranking than the bully or abuser—whether that’s a manager, director, or sympathetic HR person. Read: Bullying at Work .

Are you self-medicating your problems?

When feelings of tension, fear, hopelessness, or grief start to impact your work life, it can often be tempting to try to find the easiest way to cope on your own. For many of us, that means taking a pill or pouring a drink. While self-medicating your problems can sometimes offer some short-term relief, over time it only creates more difficulties.

Whether you turn to alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription medications, or even food to change the way that you feel, there are healthier and more effective ways of improving your mood and coping with your problems. Read: Self-Medicating Depression, Anxiety, and Stress .

When you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed by the demands of work, taking time away—using personal or sick days or taking some vacation time—can help you to recharge and avoid burnout . However, if you have a persistent mental health issue, such as depression or anxiety, you’re going to need more than just a few days off.

Caring for your mental health in the workplace isn’t just about dealing with immediate mental health problems, either. It’s also about promoting well-being. Even if you’re not facing a mental health challenge right now, taking steps to care for your emotional health can help you build resilience, improve your work performance, and provide you the tools to better cope with uncertainty and challenges in the future. The following tips can help:

Switch off. Whether you’re working onsite or remotely, it’s important to strike a healthy work-life balance. That means taking regular breaks throughout the day and switching off your screens when the work day is over. Instead of making yourself available 24/7 to respond to work calls, emails, or other messages, it’s important to focus on friends and family and take the time to relax, recharge, and enjoy yourself.

Practice relaxation techniques. Relaxing and recharging requires more than just zoning out on the couch in front of the TV. To reduce the damaging effects of stress and protect your mental health, you need to activate your body’s relaxation response. This can be done by practicing a relaxation technique such as meditation, deep breathing, rhythmic exercise, or yoga.

Take care of yourself. Getting enough quality sleep at night , eating a healthy, nutritious diet , and regularly exercising can make a huge difference to your mental health—at work and beyond. These are also aspects of your life that you have more control over than many things in your workplace. The more effort you put into self-care, the better you’ll feel. If necessary, talk to a therapist about building self-care strategies.

Find meaning and purpose in your work. Even if you don’t love your job, you can still find ways to derive meaning and purpose from the work that you do. Try to focus on how your work helps others, for example, provides an important product or service, or the relationships you enjoy with your coworkers. Looking for opportunities to get more training or take job-related classes can also help you to find more meaning in your work.

[Read: Finding the Right Career]

Try to connect and collaborate. As human beings, we crave connection. Developing mutually supportive relationships with your coworkers, collaborating as a team, and having fun together can help ease stress and bolster your mood at work. If you’re not close to your colleagues, make the effort to pool resources on projects, work closer together, and be more social during breaks and outside the workplace.

Build resiliency. The more resilient you are, the better you’re able to tolerate the feelings of stress, anxiety, and hopelessness that can be generated by problems at work. Building resilience can also help you from setbacks in your career or personal life and help you maintain a positive outlook. Rather than being a macho quality, resilience is something that requires effort to build and maintain over time.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more of us have found ourselves working from home. While it can be gratifying to be free of the daily commute and its related expenses, there are still plenty of drawbacks to working remotely that can take a toll on your mental health.

Many people feel isolated away from the workplace, disconnected from the support and social aspects of being among colleagues. It can be extremely stressful living and working in the same place every day, especially if it’s a small space, you’re looking after young children, or you have other family members also working from home. Endless back-to-back virtual meetings, longer work hours, and feeling the need to always be “on” can also be a drain on your time, mood, and outlook.

Whether you’re working from home full-time or just intermittently, there are steps you can take to ensure you protect your mental health and make it a more productive and enjoyable experience.

Maintain a regular work routine. When you’re working from home, it can be very difficult to establish a boundary between work and home time, so many people find themselves worker much longer hours. To maintain a sense of normalcy, try to keep regular office hours, starting and finishing at the same time every day. Some people find it useful to go for a walk before starting work in the morning and then again after finishing work in the evening. It can help you mentally switch from work to home mode and vice versa.

Schedule breaks and set boundaries. Just because your desk is at home, it doesn’t mean you always have to be available. Set aside time to take a break from your screens and have lunch, for example, and then turn off your phone and computer when you’re done for the day. Try to leave time between virtual meetings so they don’t feel so overwhelming.

Establish a dedicated work space. Even if you don’t have a separate room that you can use for a home office, try to reserve a space that you can use just for work, rather than working at the kitchen table, for example. You’ll find it easier to keep to your routine and separate your work and home life.

Look for opportunities to work outside the home. If you’re missing being around other people, try working at a coffee shop or library, or renting a co-working space.

Schedule face-to-face time with your co-workers. To counter the sense of isolation, arrange regular meetings or social events where you can see your colleagues in-person and catch-up. If you freelance, reach out to other freelancers on social media and arrange face-to-face get-togethers.

If your emotional state is impacting your ability to perform at work, you may decide that it’s time to talk to your boss, especially if it’s your work environment that’s causing the problem. However, many of us are understandably reticent about talking to others about our mental health, especially our supervisors or employers. You may fear that you’ll be negatively judged, your reputation will suffer, or your career damaged.

There also remains a stigma attached to mental health that can make it difficult to open up in the same way you would about a physical health issue. Some people view feeling stressed, depressed, anxious, or traumatized as some kind of character flaw, something to be ashamed of. But the truth is that 80% of us will experience a diagnosable mental health condition at some point in our lives. So, whether you’re aware of it or not, the chances are that your boss has or will experience a mental health issue, either directly themselves or in someone very close to them.

This has never been truer than it is now. The stress and upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen mental health problems skyrocket. Very few of us have remained untouched. Yet, thankfully, more and more people are feeling able to share what they’re going through, helping to reduce the stigma of what are normal human conditions.

Talking to your boss

Mental health and substance abuse cost companies billions of dollars each year, so it’s in your employer’s interest to listen and take steps to improve the workplace whenever they can.

How much you choose to disclose will largely depend on your employer’s personality, the level of trust in your relationship with them, and your own comfort levels. If it’s your boss who’s causing the problem—bullying, harassing, or creating a dysfunctional environment—you’ll want to approach his superior or someone in your company’s HR department.

It can also help to:

Choose the right time to talk. Find a quiet time at work to approach your employer, when they’re more likely to be calm and not stressed. That may be at the end of the week, for example, when things are winding down, rather than during peak hours or ahead of a pressing deadline. Try to schedule a time when you’re both free of distractions and unlikely to be interrupted.

[Read: Effective Communication]

Focus on your work performance. Instead of simply listing all your complaints, explain to your boss how specific conditions are impacting your ability to perform in your job. For example, you could explain how sudden changes in your duties and responsibilities have created high levels of stress or exacerbated your panic attacks.

Offer concrete solutions whenever possible. Suggest changes your boss can make to help you improve your work performance. For example, if you need to see your therapist without arriving late for work, asking for flexible hours or to work at home on certain days of the week could be a practical solution. Or, if you’re overworked due to understaffing, suggest which low-priority tasks you could skip or delegate to ensure you don’t fall behind.

Remember there’s strength in numbers. If any co-workers are also being bullied, harassed, or suffering in a negative environment, approaching your employer as a group can add weight to your voice.

Be understanding of your employer. These are stressful, demanding times for all of us. The pandemic has changed much about how we work and the “new normal” seems to be changing all the time. So, don’t expect your boss to immediately have all the answers. Allow them the chance to think about what you’ve told them, but make sure you set a time for a follow-up session.

Speak to a Licensed Therapist

BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.

Know your legal rights

Depending on your country or state of residence, you may have a legal right to receive reasonable accommodations to help you fulfill your duties at work. While it’s always better to adopt a conciliatory rather than confrontational tone with your employer, researching your legal position can add authority to any reasonable requests you make. See the “Get more help” section below for resources.

Call the  NAMI HelpLine  at 1-800-950-6264.

Call the  Mind Infoline  at 0300 123 3393 or  SANEline  at 07984 967 708.

Call the  Sane Helpline  at 1800 187 263.

Call  Healthline  at 0800 611 116.

Call  Wellness Together Canada  at 1-866-585-0445.

Call the  Mental Health helpline  at 1800-599-0019 or the  Vandrevala Foundation Helpline  at 1860 2662 345.

More Information

• Stress in America - 2021 survey by the American Psychological Association. (APA)
• Mental Health in the Workplace - The work-related effects of mental health disorders and stress—and what you can do about them. (CDC)
• Employer resources - Tools, resources, and information for employers to promote and support the mental health of their employees. (Center for Workplace Mental Health)
• Depression, PTSD, & Other Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace: Your Legal Rights - Legal tips in the U.S. from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (USEEOC)
• Supporting mental health at work - Legal advice in the UK on dealing with workplace mental health. (Acas)
• Anxiety Disorders. (2013). In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . American Psychiatric Association. Link
• Depressive Disorders. (2013). In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . American Psychiatric Association. Link
• Greenberg, Paul E., Andree-Anne Fournier, Tammy Sisitsky, Crystal T. Pike, and Ronald C. Kessler. “The Economic Burden of Adults with Major Depressive Disorder in the United States (2005 and 2010).” The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 76, no. 2 (February 2015): 155–62. Link
• Kessler, Ronald C. “The Costs of Depression.” The Psychiatric Clinics of North America 35, no. 1 (March 2012): 1–14. Link
• Lipari, Rachel N. “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health,” 2019, 114. Link
• “2015 Stress in America Snapshot.” Accessed September 29, 2021 Link
• Schaefer, Jonathan D., Avshalom Caspi, Daniel W. Belsky, Honalee Harrington, Renate Houts, L. John Horwood, Andrea Hussong, Sandhya Ramrakha, Richie Poulton, and Terrie E. Moffitt. “Enduring Mental Health: Prevalence and Prediction.” Journal of Abnormal Psychology 126, no. 2 (February 2017): 212–24. Link

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Chief Psychiatrist annual reports

Learn about the Chief Psychiatrist's priorities and find out how many people are treated under the Mental Health Act 2016.

Reporting on the Mental Health Act 2016

The Chief Psychiatrist's annual report is prepared in compliance with Section 307 of the Mental Health Act 2016 . It's prepared for the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services and is tabled by the Minister in the Legislative Assembly.

The Chief Psychiatrist is required to report on and include statistical data from all authorised mental health services about how many people received involuntary assessment, treatment, care or detention. This includes data on the following.

• Involuntary assessments
• Examination authorities
• Treatment authorities
• Forensic orders
• Treatment support orders
• Psychiatrist reports
• Seclusion and mechanical restraint
• Patient absence without approval
• Compliance with policies.

Statistical data is mainly from the Consumer Integrated Mental Health and Addiction (CIMHA) application and reported through the Mental Health and Addiction Portal (MHAP).

Annual reports

Before the Mental Health Act 2016 took effect, the Director of Mental Health was required to prepare an annual report under the repealed Mental Health Act 2000 .

You can get copies of archived reports from the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist via [email protected] .

The Queensland Government is committed to releasing as much public service data as possible. You can search for and view other public service data on the Open Data Initiative website.

You can also find other Queensland Health reports including the departments annual report and performance data .

Last updated: 23 August 2024