The value of mental health education vs mindfulness

A recent meta-analysis of universal mental health education in schools concluded that CBT-informed approaches to teaching children and young people how to understand and manage their thoughts, behaviour and emotions are significantly more effective than mindfulness-based alternatives at reducing symptoms of anxiety.

The meta-analysis combined results from 71 studies involving over 63,000 8-18 year olds, and found that such interventions significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. The lead author highlighted that interventions that support children and young people to ‘understand their thoughts and behaviours, as well as how to manage them’ are ‘significantly more effective at reducing anxiety symptoms than mindfulness-based classes’.

This is precisely what ‘Foundations for Wellbeing’ — our new mental health curriculum for schools, created in partnership with researchers at the University of York — supports pupils to do. 

Another author concluded if  "the approach is careful and evidence-based, tackling the issue with everyone in a class can avoid stigmatising those experiencing mental health problems and help build the wellbeing of all students".

And: ‘By increasing children’s understanding of mental health and equipping them with techniques to help them cope with challenges, it is hoped that these interventions might help to prevent problems in later life.'

This reflects the approach we have taken when designing Foundations for Wellbeing, and provides yet more evidence to suggest that — as part of a whole school approach to promoting mental health and wellbeing — its fully-resourced 35 lessons on mental health and wellbeing (and supporting video material, resources and posters) have strong potential to meaningfully contribute towards supporting and improving children and young people's mental health and wellbeing.

Created in partnership with researchers at the University of York, Foundations for Wellbeing is an innovative PSHE curriculum for 4–11 year olds that helps pupils learn to manage their thoughts, emotions, attention and behaviour — with lifelong benefits for their wellbeing. This includes practical, evidence-based self-regulation strategies as outlined in a teacher handbook, videos and posters that accompany lesson materials.

Foundations for Wellbeing is included within our standard School Membership, with additional on-demand learning available to School Plus Members.

Download free emotion and attention regulation strategies classroom posters to get a taste of what the full curriculum covers.