Supporting child mental health over the transition to high school

Curtin University researchers are calling for participants for a national study into how best to support children’s mental health and wellbeing as they navigate the important transition from primary to secondary school.

Project co-ordinator, Professor Mark Boyes from Curtin’s enAble Institute and School of Population Health said the team was seeking year six students and their parents/carers to participate in research to identify factors that could predict better mental health outcomes during the all-important jump to high school.

“We know the transition to secondary school can be stressful, particularly for children with language and literacy difficulties, due to increased educational and social demands. We hope this research will result in strategies to help support children as they make the transition,” Professor Boyes said.

“The study is open to all Australian children in year six, and we are particularly interested in the experiences of children with language and literacy difficulties, as they are at substantially greater risk of both emotional and behavioural problems.”

Associate Professor Suze Leitão from Curtin’s School of Allied Health said language and literacy difficulties represent the most common disability you’ve likely never heard of.

“Up to 15 per cent, or about four children in every Australian classroom, experience significant and persistent difficulties with oral and written language,” Associate Professor Leitão said.

“Overall, our aim is to develop effective and accessible interventions – other than the standard ‘talking therapies’ – for children with speaking, reading or writing difficulties, to provide early support to these children before mental health problems become serious.”

Adelaide parents Kyla Booth and Matthew Gilliland, who are both high school teachers, said they would encourage other families, especially fellow parents of children with language learning difficulties, to take part in the study.

“As a family we were aware our eldest child Sabai, who is now 11, may have dyslexia from a very early age; her early speech was delayed, she had difficulty with certain sounds and no interest in language which to us were the first telltale signs,” Ms Booth said.  

“When she started school, we sought early intervention and at five years and 10 months Sabai was formally diagnosed with dyslexia, allowing us to secure further support through the school, including a plan for her learning journey.

Ms Booth said going from primary school to high school was stressful for most children but for those with language learning difficulties it presented even bigger challenges and more anxiety.

“It is important for parents of children with learning difficulties to participate in this study to help highlight the difficulty these children have especially transitioning into high school,” Ms Booth said.

STUDY INFORMATION

Who is eligible to participate?

Participation is open to all Australian children currently in year six and their parents/carers.

What is required?

• Children will be asked to undertake online or in-person language and reading tasks and a survey.
• Parents/carers will be asked to complete a survey.
• Children will receive a gift voucher as a thank you.
• Parents/carers will receive a non-diagnostic report of their child’s performance on the tasks.
• The research team will follow-up with participants when they are in year seven to see how the transition to high school has gone.

When is it happening?

Expressions of interest to participate are open now.

How do people apply?

To register to participate in the study or for more information please email lalyp@curtin.edu.au or complete the Expression of Interest form available here.

Social determinants of mental health among children with language difficulties: Identifying intervention targets to prevent mental disorders is led by Curtin University with collaborators from University of Melbourne, University of Tasmania and the Black Dog Institute of New South Wales with funding from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund’s (MRFF) Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission.