Introduction
Mental health is an essential aspect of every individual as it affects how they behave, control their emotions, and think. It influences productivity, academics, and interpersonal relationships among people. In this historical time, the Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected the psychological health of many individuals globally, even the learners (Pfefferbaum & North, 2020). The pandemic has led to the loss of lives and jobs, drastically affecting people’s mental health. The negative mental health among the students can negatively affect the student’s performances. Administrative bodies of learning institutions have a significant role in ensuring positive mental health among students (Sanchez et al., 2018). The management of these learning institutions can start programs such as guidance and counseling, aiming to improve the learners’ mental health in this Covid-19 pandemic period (Elmer et al., 2020). The research was done across five high schools to determine the correlation between mental health and the students’ performances. The hypothesis was that school management formulating programs to improve the learner’s mental health would certainly affect their academic performance and increase their joy in the learning environment.
Method of Research
Various methods were used to collect data on the research topic about the effect of psychological health programs on academic performance and students’ happiness. Questionnaires were administered to 126 students from Gladbach Highschool. It required the students to respond to the questionnaires on the questions related to the topic. Online surveys through Google questionnaire forms were sent to 58 students from Maxton Highschool. Twenty-three learners from Joyleen Highschool Academy were interviewed physically on their view concerning the effect of psychological health programs on academic performance. Virtual interviews through Skype were also conducted among 15 students from Golden Highschool. The students were interrogated on their perception of incorporating mental health programs in learning institutions. Case studies of schools that had incorporated the mental health programs were done. Here, Glory Highschool was considered as it had started mental health programs for its students.
Results
In the questionnaires administered to Gladbach Highschool, 89% of the students supported incorporating the mental health programs for its learners. Out of these learners who had a positive attitude toward the programs, 90% believed that programs would increase their psychological health. Among these learners, 85% trusted that these programs would improve their happiness. In the online Google survey from Maxton Highschool, 87% of the students supported that their school starts mental health programs for their students. Among the students who supported these programs, 89% believed the programs would positively impact their psychological health and academic performance. Twenty students from Joyleen Highschool supported schools starting mental health initiatives program. They all trusted that it would positively improve their academic performance. Through the virtual interviews on Skype, all the students supported the programs and believed they would positively improve their performance and happiness levels. At Glory High School, the results showed that 82% of the student’s performance had increased after including psychological health programs in the learning institutions.
Discussion
In all the high schools through which the study was done, the students agreed that initiation of mental health support programs was important in their learning institutions. Nearly all the students agreed that these programs would have a positive impact on their academic performance. A few students disagreed the programs would not improve their happiness. At Glory Highschool, it evidenced the benefits of mental health programs after nearly all of their students’ performance had improved. The happiness of the students at the institution had improved after including the programs. The students who regarded these programs as not assisting them in improving their mental health attributed it to family issues. Two students from Joyleen said that the programs would not help them solve the depression they were undergoing.
The students also gave some factors that adversely affect their psychological health in the interviews. Most of the students noted that the Covid-19 had negatively influenced their mental health (Wu et al., 2020). Some of them complained their parents had lost their jobs and thus found it hard to concentrate on their studies. Students also complained that they had lost their parents and close family members and thus were still in grief (Calvano et al., 2021). This grief affected their psychological health and thus found difficulty in learning. Other learners noted that poverty in their homes was a major factor that had affected their mental health. Several students from Glory Highschool complained of financial stress in fee payment affecting their mental health. Few students also attributed that their race’s stigmatization affected their mental status (Pitakchinnapong & Rhein, 2019). Several students from Maxton highschool stated that the neglect they faced from their family affected their mental health. Some other students from Gladbach suggested that the harassment they faced from the senior students hurt their mental health.
Financial stress, grief, harassment, poverty, financial stress, and loss of jobs affect students’ psychological status. Students who are stressed cannot effectively concentrate on their studies, and thus they underperform academically (Oketch-Oboth & Okunya, 2018). Many students suggested the inclusion of mental support programs, as they saw the need to improve academically. Researchers link depression among the students to low grades from these learners. Learners with a strong mentality think positively and are less prone to harm their colleagues. Students displaying strong mental health are highly likely to have better performance and overall be happy. The school board has a role in initiating and supporting the mental health programs in the learning institutions (Baik et al., 2019). A direct correlation was observed in academic performance at Glory High School when the school initiated mental health programs for its learners. The family issues that students have may affect their perception of important programs that may benefit them. It thus affects the adoption of the initiatives to improve their mental health.
Conclusions and Recommendations
In conclusion, there is an association between the learners’ mental health and their academic performances and happiness. Mental health support programs serve a crucial role in helping solve the mental crises experienced by learners. Many learners agree that having mental support programs at their learning institutions would positively improve their performance and mental strength. Mentally positive students are less likely to harm their colleagues. It is recommended that the school administration support these programs financially to benefit the students and the entire school. The school management also needs to ensure that the right human resources are available to the students. Peer counselors, motivational speakers, and professional counselors can encourage depressed learners in this Covid-19 period. The learners adopting these programs encourage the management to create more beneficial programs for them. The students should cooperate with the administration in ensuring that the success of these programs. Further future research needs to be done on how the mental health of the learners can be improved.
References
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