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KMID : 0897520020070010010
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Journal of Korean Association of Social Psychiatry
2002 Volume.7 No. 1 p.10 ~ p.20
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A Pilot Project for School Mental Health in Jeju City
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Kwack Young-Sook
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Abstract
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Objectives：Jeju City Community Mental health Center has done a pilot project for school mental health to uncover children at risk of mental health problems and to provide them with early evaluation and intervention within one elementary school, which was chosen as the model school in Jeju City for two years.
Methods：1) All first grade children were assessed with the K-CBCL to screen for possible mental health problems. 2) The children who demonstrated clinically significant scores on K-CBCL were interviewed by child psychiatrists. More assessments were conducted with other psychological tests if needed. 3) Psychiatric intervention such as parent counseling, case management and referral to hospitals or other education centers for treatment were provided for the children and their parents. Regular consultation meetings were held with teachers. Also, consultation service was provided to the teachers via the Internet. 4) One year after the first evaluation, all the students were reevaluated.
Results：Twenty-seven children out of ninety-six showed clinically significant scores on K-CBCL. Within the behavior problem subscales, eleven children showed clinically significant scores. Of the eleven children, seven showed significant scores on the withdrawal subscale, two on the delinquent subscale and two on the anxiety/ depression subscale. Within the sex problem subscale, 13 children showed clinically significant scores. After discussion with teachers, a total of fifteen children were registered to the Jeju City Community Mental health Center and evaluated by two child psychiatrists. After the evaluations, 11 children were referred to hospitals for the further evaluation and treatment. All fifteen registered children were followed up with case management. During the second year evaluation, 77 children were reassessed and the number of children showing clinically significant scores decreased from nineteen to twelve. The number of children showed clinically significant scores increased on the social competence scales and decreased on the externalization, total behavior problem and sex problem subscales. They showed statistically significant improvement with mean scores on the internalization, externalization, total behavior problem, emotional lability and aggression subscales. But among the 13 children who had been registered to the Jeju City Community Mental health Center and had received any type of intervention, 2 children transferred to another school and 5 children improved their scores to within a normal range profile. They showed statistically significant improvement with mean scores on the internalization, externalization, total behavior problem, somatic complaint, anxiety/depression, social immaturity, delinquent, aggression and emotional lability subscales. Structured group therapy was provided for the 8 children whose parents are divorced and showed clinically significant scores on K-CBCL. After treatment these eight children showed statistically significant improvement with mean scores on academic achievement, internalization, externalization, total behavior problem, somatic complaint, anxiety/depression, social immaturity, delinquent and aggression subscales.
Conclusion：Our pilot project for school mental health program was effective in finding children at the risk of mental health problems and providing them with early evaluation and intervention. So, the pilot project showed the necessity for further development and expansion of the school mental health program.
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KEYWORD
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School Mental Health, Elementary school, Jeju city community Mental health Center
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