How to Promote

Good Mental Health

with ADHD
 Environmental Impacts

Teacher(s)
Being aware of Being aware Reminding Informing
how many of how long Camille of Camille and
assignments upcoming her peers if
the lesson is
are assigned assignments there is a
(e.g. lecture
giving her
and their due time and change in their
sufficient time to
dates working time regular
complete them
schedule
 Environmental Impacts Cont'd

Outside of School:

Transition Number of social Quality of sleep Number of

between activities that are people whom
Camille's homes scheduled that Camille is
because she day/week surrounded by
shares her time (e.g. family,
between Dad friends, etc.)
and Mom's
house
 Interpersonal Impacts

Check in with Help "strengthen Creating a school Having "safe and

that is "invested in, supportive adults and
Camille about coping skills (e.g.
and delivering, a peers" (Nagel, 2016,
how she is social skills,
curriculum that p. 20). This could be
feeling in terms problem-solving values relationships, inside the school (e.g.
of assignments, strategies)" emotional teachers, educational
friendships, (Adelman & understanding, assistants, librarian)
home life, etc. Taylor, 2009, p. communication and and outside of school
social problem (e.g. family members,
123)
solving" (Nagel, 2016, coaches).
p. 21)
 Interpersonal Impacts Cont'd

Involvement with Check in and see Encourage or work Model and practice
her church how she is feeling with Camille to plan clear
about her current her time. "This will communication with
school and how to help to manage Camille and her
support and/or stress and friends (Llyod, n.d.)
Encourage
encourage her overwhelm" (Llyod,
journaling to reflect
n.d.)
on thoughts and
feelings
 How can good mental health be measured
or observed?
Observing her mood and
behaviour at school. If she
Daily/Weekly Check ins with seems to be irritable,
Camille’s family to down, chatty, quiet, this
check-ins could be a sign she has too
see how she is
much on her plate and is
doing at feeling overwhelmed.
home/after school
Creating a list of “I have, I am,
Checking in to see
and I can [to reflect on] the
if she is having
things that are available to
open
[Camille], the characteristics
Reviewing her communication
and traits that make [her
calendar for with family and
unique], and [reflect] on what
assignments, extra Performance friends [she] can do (or learn to do)
curricular activities and
and when she sees
with support from others”
How often is she
her friends
participation in (Nagel, 2016, p. 25)
attending class?
class

Are there any

excessive
absences?
 Interventions or
resources needed
 Guidance / Counseling / Therapy
Therapy can help to identify her emotions, making her a better
communicator and more effective in relationships. She can learn to
make connections between actions and consequences, helping her to
make more advantageous decisions. Positive guidance and discipline
are crucial for her because they promote self-control, teach
responsibility and can help her make thoughtful choices.
 Support and Mentoring

“Teaching peers and volunteer adults to provide support and mentoring”

(Adelman & Taylor, 2009, p. 113) Having someone that you can look up to and go
to for support is one the most important things a kid can have. Mentors give youth
(and even adults) the confidence they need to confront challenges and come up
with their own solutions. They provide a safe place for kids and teens to be
themselves and have fun, while also learning valuable life skills.
Before and After School Activities
Because transitions are difficult the school could use “before
and after school and intersession activities as times for ensuring
generalization and enrichment of such learning” (Adelman &
Taylor, 2009, p. 116) Effective before and after school programs
provide learning settings that bring a wide range of benefits to
youth, families, and communities. Before and After school
programs can support social, emotional, cognitive, and
academic development, reduce risky behaviours, promote
physical health, and provide a safe and supportive environment
for children and youth.
 Developing Sustainable
Interventions

Developing sustainable interventions in schools that are truly

responsive to the needs of students may require years of building
academic and community partnerships. School interventions allow
teachers to address gaps in a child’s knowledge and barriers to
their progress. When a need has been identified, a school
intervention will help overcome these barriers to their learning.
Limitations or Future
Considerations
 Funds/Money
Do the parents have insurance to cover
the cost of counseling or therapy that
Camille needs?
Difficulties with social
relationships
Less opportunities to
interact during the day may
mean she needs other ways
to practice social skills and
build relationships.

Not always open to a diagnosis

not having enough knowledge about ADHD

acceptance
the fear of not knowing what to do next
fear of the fact that the parents themselves might have ADHD
 Negative Attitudes and
Stereotypes Home learning environment
Lack of knowledge about and
a lot of noise or
sensitivity to disability issues on the
distractions
part of some educators, staff, and
weak parent-child
students can make it difficult for
relationship and less
students with disabilities to access
family involvement
educational services equally.
 Creating structure
Accommodation Process
When something new is
Accommodation is not
introduced, we need to
always provided in a timely
create a routine so it helps
manner, is often insufficient,
them with the transition and
and sometimes not provided
make them feel that they
at all.
are in control.
 By early adulthood, Children with ADHD are
ADHD is associated with significantly more likely than ​Peer relationships are
an increased risk of
their peers without ADHD to often disrupted by peer
develop con­duct disorder in rejection, neglect, or
suicide at­tempt, primarily adolescence and antisocial
when comorbid with teasing of the individual
personality disorder in
mood, conduct, or adulthood, conse­quently with ADHD. (American
substance use disorders. increasing the likelihood for Psychiatric Association
substance use disorders and [APA], 2022, p. 108)
((American Psychiatric
incarceration ((American
Association [APA], 2022,
Psychiatric Association [APA],
p. 106) 2022, p. 108)
References
Adelman, H. and Taylor, L., (2009). Mental Health in Schools: Engaging Learners,
Preventing Problems, and Improving Schools. Corwin a SAGE Company.

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental

disorders : dsm-5 (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Association.

' Llyod, T. (n.d.). 10 Top Tips for Effective Self Care for People with ADHD. ADHD
Foundation The Neurodiversity Charity.

Nagel, P. (2016). Mental Health Matters: A Practical Guide to Identifying and

Understanding Mental Health Issues in Primary Schools. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Wycoff, Kirby L., and Bettina Franzese. Essentials of Trauma-Informed Assessment

and Intervention in School and Community Settings, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated,
2019. ProQuest Ebook Central Section 3: p.185