Mental Health Support for Socioeconomically Challenged Elementary School Students: A Qualitative Study
Date
2024-02-20
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Abstract
Mental health support for students is crucial but may be lacking in socioeconomically challenged educational systems. The problem is the lack of appropriate mental health support for elementary-aged students in socioeconomically challenged areas. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore academic leaders’ perceptions of how transformational leadership impacts mental health support with socioeconomically challenged elementary school students in northern California. The transformational leadership theory could have implications and benefits for fostering innovative changes in educational environments. The study used the purposeful sampling method to select 15 out of a total population of 120 educational professionals in the Preeminent Learning Center (PEL) after-school learning program to participate in the study through qualitative interviews. Inclusion criteria ensured all selected participants are or were previously academic leaders at PEL Learning Center working with elementary-aged students. The qualitative data were analyzed through Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis to group similar topics identified through participant interviews. The data found that all participants viewed transformational leadership as an approach that was effective in creating a better educational environment for socioeconomically challenged, elementary-aged students. The data also found that almost all participants did not think schools in socioeconomically challenged neighborhoods had adequate mental health services, if any at all. It is recommended to use transformational leadership to create positive learning environments as well as advocate for policy change at a district level and to create mental health services for students in socioeconomically challenged neighborhoods.
Description
By exploring academic leaders’ perceptions of transformational leadership’s impact on mental health support, new information could be uncovered that would lead to mental health policy changes in socioeconomically challenged educational environments.
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Keywords
mental health, transformational leadership theory, stigma, school stressors, home stressors, post-COVID era, low-income demographic, and community violence