Micro-Skills for Schools: Action Steps for Sadness, Depression, and Mood Regulation (Handout)

Description

Action Steps to Take When You Recognize Sadness, Depression, and Mood Regulation challenges. Scan to help educate students about how to recognize signs and symptoms in themselves; promote healthy choices; help students find coping strategies; find a safe place to talk; advocate for students to visit a mental health professional.

The action steps include:

1. Reduce class pressures by breaking tasks into smaller parts and allow for choices for assignments.
2. Teach students that there have been many famous and successful people who have had depression and overcame it;
3. Help students use positive statements about their performance and during interactions;
4. Encourage realistic goal-setting and provide step-by-step instructions with flexible expectations;
5. For students who are socially isolated, encourage gradual social interaction and bring them into group discussions;
6. Ask parents what would be helpful in class to reduce pressure and motivate their child;
7. Encourage extra-curricular and physical activities throughout the school day to increase the “feel good” brain chemicals;
8. Never dismiss student’s feelings by saying “you will get over it”or“it’s just a part of growing up”;
9. When students approach you about their depression, ask questions to help understand how they feel and what they are experiencing;
10. Ensure that students write down assignment instructions correctly so they understand what is expected of them;
11. Post the class schedule daily so students can know what to expect with no surprises; and
12. During class and throughout the day, always model positive self-talk and problem solving for your students.

This resource is part of the Depression series of Early Intervention resources developed by Miami University’s Center for School-Based Mental Health Programs (CSBMHP) and the Ohio Mental Health Network for School Success (OMHNSS) as part of the Early Intervention Initiative (funded by the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, grant #2200368, https://mha.ohio.gov/).