Editorial [International Journal of Emotional Education, 7(1)]

Abstract

Welcome to the special edition of the International Journal of Emotional Education on the Promotion of Mental Health and Wellbeing in Young People. The purpose of this issue is to highlight research methodologies used to promote mental health in children and young people. This edition has been supported by the Edith Cowan University Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Collaborative Research Network (CRN) and the Flinders Centre for Student Wellbeing and the Prevention of Violence (SWAPv)1. This special edition draws together a number of major streams of research which focus on different methodologies used to research mental health in young people. Mental health is a national and international priority (see special edition of ‘The Psychology of Education Review’ edited by Humphrey and Qualter, 2013, and the reviews by Carta et al., 2015). For example, in the Australian context the Council of Australian Government’s National Action Plan for Mental Health 2006–2011 (COAG, 2010) and the recent Roadmap for National Mental Health Reform 2012–2022 (COAG, 2012) identified promotion, prevention and early intervention for positive mental health as essential actions for governments and organisations to undertake. National evaluations of KidsMatter Mental Health have been undertaken in Australia highlighting the delivery of effective school-based mental health interventions (Slee et al., 2009; Slee et al., 2013).