A recent US study showed that early detection of psychological, social, and health needs among school students can greatly help identify the difficulties they face and direct them to appropriate support before these challenges negatively impact their learning, behavior, and relationships with others.
The medical journal "Journal of School Health" reported on Monday that researchers from the health system at the University of California, Riverside, in collaboration with a school district in the state, used a tool to assess the needs of 11,786 high school students during the period between 2020 and 2024.
The results showed that 86.3 percent of students showed indicators of moderate needs, while 19.6 percent showed indicators of high needs, according to the standards of the assessment tool used. This approach can help schools identify students who may need support, even when the difficulties they face are not obvious to teachers or family members.
For its part, the study pointed out that a student may face psychological pressures or social challenges that do not necessarily directly reflect on their school grades or daily behavior. Early detection can also contribute to referring students in need of help to specialists and enhancing cooperation between schools, families, and health and psychological services, enabling a more organized response to their needs rather than waiting for difficulties to worsen.
The journal added that the assessment results do not necessarily mean that students showing indicators suffer from mental disorders, as the screening aims to identify potential needs that may require specialized evaluation. Furthermore, the results alone do not prove that using this tool leads to improved mental health or academic achievement.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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