Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Education: Counselling, Collaboration, and Practice

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Education and Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 996

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty for Social Wellbeing, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
Interests: school counselling; dyslexia, wellbeing and auto/ethnography; learning disabilities/specific learning difficulties; personal and social development/emotional literacy/processing; inclusion and literacy access to learning

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue explores the intersections of education, counselling, and mental health, focusing on agency, lived experience, and transformative practice. We aim to showcase critical perspectives beyond clinical models by amplifying service user voices and promoting inclusive, rights-based approaches to wellbeing in educational contexts. Contributions grounded in mad studies, critical disability studies, and participatory research are especially welcomed. The issue invites theoretical, empirical, and practice-based submissions highlighting school counsellors’ roles, interdisciplinary collaborations, student voices, and the challenges of navigating mental health systems from within and outside institutions.

Prof. Ruth Falzon
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • student agency
  • school counselling
  • mental health in education
  • mad studies
  • service user involvement
  • inclusive practice
  • trauma-informed education
  • participatory research
  • critical perspectives on wellbeing

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 731 KB  
Article
Resilience Profiles of Teachers: Associations with Psychological Characteristics and Demographic Variables
by Athena Daniilidou, Maria Platsidou, Andreas Stafylidis and Savvas Stafylidis
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(10), 1358; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15101358 - 13 Oct 2025
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Abstract
This study aimed to examine what makes a teacher resilient by investigating the psychological and contextual characteristics that distinguish more resilient educators from their peers. Specifically, it explored the relationships of psychological resilience with emotional intelligence, meaning in life, burnout, and self-efficacy among [...] Read more.
This study aimed to examine what makes a teacher resilient by investigating the psychological and contextual characteristics that distinguish more resilient educators from their peers. Specifically, it explored the relationships of psychological resilience with emotional intelligence, meaning in life, burnout, and self-efficacy among primary and secondary school teachers. Drawing on data from two independent but methodologically aligned studies (N = 222 and N = 407, respectively), cluster analyses identified two distinct teacher profiles in each study: high-resilience and lower-resilience. Teachers in the high-resilience group consistently reported higher emotional intelligence (in Study 1), greater self-efficacy, and lower levels of burnout (in Study 2). Interestingly, while the presence of meaning in life did not differ significantly between groups, high-resilience teachers were more actively engaged in the search for meaning (in Study 1). Analyses of teachers’ demographics revealed modest associations between resilience and gender or marital status, with women and partnered individuals more frequently represented in the high-resilience profile. No significant differences were observed concerning age, experience, or educational background. These findings support theoretical models that conceptualize resilience as a dynamic, multidimensional construct shaped by emotional, motivational, and social resources rather than fixed demographic traits. Implications for teacher training, institutional policy, and future resilience research are discussed. Full article
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Other

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27 pages, 745 KB  
Systematic Review
Creative and Metacognitive Strategies in Anti-Bullying Programs: A Systematic Review
by Georgeta Diac, Tudorița Grădinariu, Rotem Maor, Nicoleta Rogoz and Adina-Petronela Vechiu
Educ. Sci. 2025, 15(11), 1457; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15111457 - 2 Nov 2025
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Abstract
In a global context marked by an increase in acts of aggression in schools, it is essential to focus on discovering new theoretical benchmarks and practical strategies for prevention and intervention in such situations. This article, evidence of this concern, aims to identify [...] Read more.
In a global context marked by an increase in acts of aggression in schools, it is essential to focus on discovering new theoretical benchmarks and practical strategies for prevention and intervention in such situations. This article, evidence of this concern, aims to identify (1) how common school anti-bullying programs are that integrate creativity and metacognition processes, (2) what the theoretical background is that justifies the application of these tools in anti-bullying programs, and (3) what the elements of methodology and the evaluation criteria and methods are that have been applied in these programs. We conducted a rigorous analysis, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), of articles identified in the Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, PsychoNet, and Eric Gov. Out of the total 203 articles identified that met the inclusion criteria, only 11 were finally selected. Analyzing the training/teaching, learning, and evaluation methods proposed in the programs in the 11 articles, we synthesized and developed a theoretical model that highlights how creative and metacognitive processes contribute to cognitive and behavioral dynamics when addressing bullying. This holistic approach could provide policymakers, researchers, administrators, principals, and teachers with a theoretical framework for developing and implementing practical and effective interventions against bullying in schools. Full article
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