Beyond Academics: Integrating Emotional Regulation to Improve Mental Health in Educational Contexts

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Psychiatry International will examine the relationship between emotional regulation and mental health in educational contexts. It will explore a range of related topics, including the role of emotional regulation in teaching and learning processes, the strategies employed by educational institutions to promote emotional regulation, the challenges encountered in addressing mental health in educational contexts, evidence-based interventions to improve the emotional and mental well-being of educational stakeholders and the role of educational professionals and parents in promoting mental health at school.

Mental health in childhood and adolescence is a fundamental pillar of the holistic development of the individual. However, mental disorders are a reality that affect a significant number of children and adolescents, negatively impacting their well-being and potential. Child and adolescent psychiatry specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of these disorders, whit the aim of improving the quality of life of children, adolescents and their families. Mental disorders in childhood and adolescence are characterized by significant changes in thinking, emotions and behaviour that can affect an individual’s development, learning and social relationships. Therefore, the early identification and timely treatment of mental disorders in childhood and adolescence are crucial to improve the prognosis and reduce the risk of long-term complications; reduce the impact on development, learning and social relationships; improve the quality of life of the child, adolescent and their family; and prevent the development of new disorders or the chronification of existing ones. In this context, the prevention of mental disorders in childhood and adolescent requires a comprehensive approach involving several key actors: the family; the community; public policy makers; and the school.

Education is a fundamental process in human development, encompassing not only the acquisition of knowledge and academic content, but also the areas of bio-psycho-social growth and well-being. In this context, mental health at all levels of education is of crucial importance. Mental well-being is essential for effective and holistic learning. The global mental health framework recognises the importance of emotional regulation, understood as the ability to identify, understand, manage and express emotions effectively. This is linked to the new challenges and demands of school, academic and social life. In educational settings, mental disorders can affect student´ learning, behaviour and social interactions. Common examples include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is therefore important to identify and support students who may be experiencing these disorders in order to ensure that they receive the appropriate attention and support to succeed academically and emotionally.

The relationship between emotional regulation and mental health is profound and bidirectional. On the one hand, adequate emotional regulation contributes to better mental health, as it enables students to prevent and cope with mental disorders; increase their self-esteem and self-confidence; improve their academic performance; and strengthen their interpersonal relationships. On the other hand, good mental health also favours emotional regulation. Consequently, when students experience good mental health, they are better equipped to identify and comprehend their emotions; express their emotions in a constructive manner; manage stress and anxiety in an effective manner; and resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner. In light of the aforementioned considerations, this Special Issue endeavors to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the current research and practice on emotional regulation and mental health in educational settings. It is our hope that this Special Issue will prove to be a valuable resource for educational practitioners, researchers, parents and students who are interested in promoting the mental health and well-being of students in schools.

In essence, educational institutions and educators have a pivotal role to play in nurturing the mental and emotional well-being of children and adolescents. They can achieve this by creating a secure and positive environment, fostering meaningful relationships, developing social and emotional competencies, detecting issues at an early stage, promoting healthy habits, intervening in challenging situations and raising awareness of the significant contribution of these factors to the holistic well-being of their students.

Yours faithfully,

Dr. Gerardo Fuentes-Vilugrón
Dr. Felipe Caamaño-Navarrete
Dr. Carlos Arriagada-Hernández
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Psychiatry International is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• emotional regulation
• mental health
• emotional well-being
• social–emotional learning
• resilience
• prevention of mental disorders
• mental health promotion
• safe and inclusive learning environments
• empathy
• social skills
• mental health education
• mindfulness
• mental health risks and protective factors
• emotional education
• student well-being
• quality of life
• educational contexts