How Family Mental Health And School Performance Relate
It’s increasingly being recognized that the mental health of family members—particularly parents—can significantly influence the academic performance of school-aged children. However, the connection between family mental health and school performance goes beyond grades, as it may affect the emotional well-being of children throughout adolescence and adulthood as well. Read on to explore the relationship between family mental health and academic achievement and learn strategies for creating a supportive environment—both educationally and emotionally.
Understanding family mental health and school performance
Family mental health refers to the overall emotional and psychological well-being of members of a family. It encompasses how individuals within a family cope with stress, communicate, and support each other, and it can also include mental health conditions that any individual family member may be experiencing.
For example, when a family member experiences mental health challenges like anxiety or depression, it can sometimes lead to inconsistency and disruptions in routines, increased stress, and insufficient emotional support for the child. This may be especially true when the person has not yet received treatment for their mental health condition. These effects collectively may influence a child's development and school performance, particularly when the family member experiencing a mental illness is their parent or primary caregiver.
Impact of family mental health on a student’s academic performance
When exploring the link between family mental health and school performance, it can be helpful to understand the impact of parental internalizing disorders. Parental internalizing disorders are mental health conditions like depression and anxiety that involve inwardly directed emotional distress. Unlike disorders characterized by outward behaviors, such as substance use disorders, these involve intense feelings of sadness, worry, or fear.
If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.
Parental mental illness can affect children’s well-being
Symptoms of depression in parents might include persistent sadness, loss of interest in activities, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. Anxiety symptoms can include excessive worry, restlessness, and physical symptoms like increased heart rate. When parents experience these—especially if they go untreated—it often has a significant impact on their children.
Mental illness of parents can affect children’s mental health
A child could even begin to display signs of anxiety or depression themselves. Research has also suggested a statistically significant association between school-age children displaying poor academic performance and behavioral issues and parents with depression.
The importance of children’s mental health
Mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression can significantly impair a child's ability to focus, remember information, and actively participate in school activities. These conditions often make social interactions difficult, resulting in feelings of isolation and reduced classroom engagement, which may lead to a decreased likelihood of academic success.
Mental health and school performance: Why support matters
Addressing these kinds of mental health concerns is often essential for enhancing both a child’s educational outcomes and their quality of life. In some cases, addressing family mental health challenges may help improve a child’s mental health, too. That said, remember that children showing signs of a mental health condition should receive individual mental health support for themselves as well.
Academic and mental health support strategies for families
Parents and other family members can play a vital role in supporting a child’s academic performance, both directly and by addressing any mental health challenges in the household. For example, implementing practical strategies to create a more supportive and stable environment may result in less stress for everyone in the home and create a strong foundation for academic success. The following strategies may be helpful to consider.
Maintain open communication
- Regularly check in with your child about their schoolwork, feelings, and social experiences.
- Encourage them to share their worries or challenges openly and refrain from judging or criticizing what they share with you.
Establish educational routines
- Whenever possible, create a daily schedule that includes time for homework, chores, and leisure or relaxation.
- Aim to create routines that are balanced and provide a sense of stability.
Promote a positive learning environment
- Set up a quiet and distraction-free study area.
- Help your child cultivate healthy study habits, such as keeping organized, asking for help when needed, and taking regular breaks.
Encourage healthy habits
- Encourage your child to get regular physical exercise, which may improve mood and concentration.
- Help your child limit processed foods and provide them with nutrient-rich meals as much as possible.
- Prioritize adequate sleep, since rest is crucial for academic performance as well as overall development and well-being.
Foster a love of learning
- Encourage curiosity and a growth mindset by celebrating effort and progress, not just grades.
- Engage in educational activities together, such as reading, visiting museums, or exploring nature.
Set realistic expectations
- Help your child set achievable academic goals.
- Encourage them to do their best without pressuring them for perfection.
- Teach them that mistakes and failure can be valuable parts of life and let them know that their academic performance is unrelated to your love and care for them.
Teach stress-management techniques
- Introduce practices like mindfulness, deep breathing exercises, and time-management skills.
- Encourage hobbies and activities that your child enjoys and finds relaxing.
Be involved in their education
- Attend parent-teacher conferences whenever possible and do your best to stay informed on your child’s progress in school.
- If possible, volunteer at school events or join parent groups to stay connected with the school community.
Model healthy behavior
- Demonstrate how to handle stress and setbacks in a healthy way.
- Show the importance of self-care by investing in your own mental health in tangible ways.
Seek professional help when needed
- If your child is showing signs of significant stress, anxiety, or depression, don’t hesitate to seek help for them from a school counselor or other mental health professional.
- Consider family therapy if parental mental health challenges may be affecting the family dynamic.
How therapy can help
Therapy can be a valuable resource for parents whose children are experiencing mental health challenges and/or who are experiencing some themselves. It can provide a space for individuals to explore their emotions, develop coping strategies, and learn skills to improve relationships and parenting skills. It can also be an opportunity to address specific mental health challenges that may be affecting the family dynamic and the child’s well-being and school performance.
Online therapy
Online therapy can be a more convenient way for busy parents to engage with a mental health professional, since it allows them to receive support from the comfort of their homes. Therapy in this format is also more affordable than in-person care in many cases, and many find it more comfortable to speak with a care professional remotely via phone, video, and/or in-app messaging than face to face. Research suggests that online therapy can offer similar outcomes to in-person therapy in many cases.
Takeaway
How does mental health affect student performance?
Research finds that poor mental health can negatively impact student performance, while good mental health can lead to positive academic outcomes. Mental health problems and low self-esteem can lead to an increase in the following:
- Absences
- Poor grades
- Behavioral issues
- Detention, suspension, and expulsion
According to a 2022 student survey, 50% of high school students at every grade level reported stress, depression, and anxiety as learning obstacles. In addition, fewer than half of the study population reporting said that they felt they had a trusted adult they could talk to about their mental health difficulties.
How does mental health impact performance?
People experiencing anxiety, depression, or other psychiatric disorders can find it difficult to focus energy on their daily tasks, much less the learning and application of new material. Young adults including high school students and university students often experience high stress life challenges that affect learning, and put them at higher risk for developing mental health problems. This is why it can be important for schools to have counseling services to support students and meet mental health needs.
What is a significant mental health issue that is prevalent in schools?
Depression is a common problem in high school and college students, with a study conducted in 2021 finding that almost 42 percent of students reported feeling sad or hopeless, a significant increase from previous research.
Another challenge is that mental health resources are often not sufficient to meet the needs of students. There is limited access to mental health care in the school system, especially in marginalized communities and in areas of lower socioeconomic status. While some schools have counselors or psychologists, they are typically maxed out helping students with IEPs for learning disabilities or behavioral issues. The Biden-Harris administration recently announced $70 million in open access funding to help expand student access to mental health services in the United States, and statutory regulations to ensure that these funds are used appropriately.
Do mental health days improve academic performance?
Mental health days can be beneficial for students who may be experiencing decreased mental well-being due to the overwhelming stress of chasing academic excellence. Performance anxiety can lead to burnout, and intentional breaks may help improve student success and increase overall well-being.
Do students struggle with mental health?
According to an article published in the American Journal of Mental Health, student mental health is worsening by nearly every metric. Student’s lives are often stressful due to distress related to relationship issues, educational attainment, adjustment to campus life, social justice issues, and more. Externalizing disorders, problems with emotional regulation, and other mental health problems are common, and resources are few.
Often early intervention has pulled resources for those with learning differences; however, it can be equally important to find help for students who are struggling with their grade point average due to mental health issues. Studies show that to succeed academically, students in distress should be taught time management, stress management, how to care for their physical health, and how to set realistic goals. Some schools are offering workshops taught by faculty members to share these tools with students.
How do stress and anxiety affect academic performance?
Stress and anxiety can negatively impact academic performance, as they can cause a decrease in focus, and difficulty concentrating. The American College Health Association offers resources like wellness coaching, educational materials, and other resources to help college students who are struggling with mental health.
How does stress affect grades?
Students who are dealing with stress can find their grades slipping. Even when their GPA starts at four, students who are overwhelmed can feel helpless as their anxiety makes it difficult to focus or study, and become more and more panicked as poor test outcomes start tanking their average. When a student feels helpless and overwhelmed, it can create a cycle that makes it difficult to get back on track.
What are the negative effects of mental health?
Poor mental health can lead to a number of issues including:
- Physical health problems
- Difficulty focusing or concentrating
- Relationship issues
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Self-harm
How does academic pressure affect students' mental health?
Academic pressure can create negative outcomes, especially in college students away from home for the first time. Students may try to juggle maintaining grades, while exploring a social life. For some, as they start to party, material changes in their study habits can cause declines in GPA, leading to further stress. Learning how to balance social life and academic life, setting realistic goals, and discovering time management and stress management tools can help lead to student success.
How can poor academic performance affect students?
Poor student academic performance can create a vicious cycle of negative outcomes. Often performance is affected by struggling mental health, which in turn the poor academic performance feeds into further mental health challenges. The student services administration is a resource for students struggling on campus, as they focus on student success and growth. They can make sure you are obtaining the appropriate credits, help you manage your caseload, and connect you to mental health care without the need to obtain permission directly from any other family member.
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