School-based support for students experiencing mental health challenges : a case study
department or school: Education, Faculty of
department or school: Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Ruddy, Alexandra Michelle
issued: 2025-10-20T21:07:27Z
issued: 2025
related degree: Doctor of Philosophy - PhD
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: A growing number of Canadian adolescents are experiencing mental health difficulties, many of whom will require or seek support at school. Schools, including those across British Columbia (BC), are widely becoming a primary environment in which students can receive support for their mental health. While the BC government has made several efforts through school-based, inclusive education policies and initiatives to support students with mental health needs, the ways in which secondary schools are providing support to its students who are struggling with their mental health has not been empirically studied. Using a case study approach, the purpose of this study was to explore and understand the ways in which a secondary school in the Lower Mainland of BC provides support, through its practices and overall climate, for student mental health. Collected data included school observations and interviews with students, parents, teachers, educational assistants, a youth engagement worker, school administrators, as well as school counsellors and a school psychologist. Interview data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Five themes and 16 subthemes were identified including Supportive Psychosocial Climate (Relationships are Foundational and Build Connection, Creating Safe Environments), Availability of Supports (Understanding Adults and Flexible Practices, IEP as a Communication Tool, Pathways is a “Game Changer”), Approaches to Support (Supporting the Whole Child, Advocating on the Student’s Behalf, Collaborating as a Team), Acknowledging Boundaries (The School’s Role, “I’m Not a Counsellor,” Parents Finding Balance in Their Role), Challenges to Providing Mental Health Support (Systemic Barriers, Limitations to IEPs and Accommodations, Impact of Increasing Mental Health Needs in the Classroom, Mental Health Education Lacks Meaning, Meeting the Needs of Parents ). Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory was applied as an organizational framewo…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/92677
note: SCHOOL-BASED SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES: A CASE STUDY by ALEXANDRA MICHELLE RUDDY M.A., University of British Columbia, 2019 M.Sc., University College London Institute of Education, 2015 B.A. (Hons), Queen’s University, 2013 A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (School and Applied Child Psychology) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) October 2025 © Alexandra Michelle Ruddy, 2025 ii The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for acceptance, the dissertation entitled: School-based support for students experiencing mental health challenges: A case study submitted by Alexandra Michelle Ruddy in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in School and Applied Child Psychology Examining Committee: Dr. Laurie Ford, Professor, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, UBC Supervisor Dr. Janet Jamieson, Professor Emeritus, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, UBC Supervisory Committee Member Dr. G. Thomas Schanding, Jr., Department Head & Associate Professor, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, UBC Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Nicole Johnson, Associate Professor, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, UBC University Examiner Dr. Sandra Scott, Professor, Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy, UBC University Examiner Dr. Kelly Dean Schwartz, Associate Professor, Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary External Examiner iii Abstract A growing number of Canadian adolescents are experiencing mental health difficulties, many of whom will require or seek support at school. Schools, including those across British Columbia (BC), are widely becoming a primary environment in which students can receive support for their mental health. Whil…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2025-11
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0450500
language: eng
degree discipline: School and Applied Child Psychology
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
contributor: Ford, Laurie
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/92677