Identification of the various symptoms of mental health disorders in K-12 Systems

This literature review aims to assess the symptoms of mental health disorders in children studying in the K-12 system of education. The findings reveal the types of mental disorders along with their symptoms. It emphasizes the development of preventive measures by the collaborative efforts of schools, parents, social workers and child psychologists and psychiatrists.

Running head: IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-
12 SYSTEMS
Identification of the various symptoms of mental health disorders in K-12 Systems

IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-12 SYSTEMS 1
Identification of the various symptoms of mental health disorders in K-12
Systems
Abstract
This literature review aims to assess the symptoms of mental health disorders in
children studying in the K-12 system of education. Mental health issues affect numerous
students across the world. They have affected the socially interacting and learning
capabilities of the students. It is crucial to identify these issues due to their severe impact on
the educational institutions, society and families as a whole. Recently, there has been an
increase in the number of shootings and suicidal attempts in schools. It has increasingly
placed a focus on response to the problem instead of developing the interventions and
preventive measures for assisting the students on how to address their mental health needs.
The findings of this literature review reveal the types of mental disorders along with
their symptoms. They also illustrate the causes of these disorders which can help the
researchers to develop the preventive measures accordingly. It has been researched that
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) which is one of the mental health
disorders is a commonly prevalent disorder in Australian children. These disorders develop a
criminal tendency among children. The students suffering from these disorders are three
times more arrested before passing their schools. These disorders decrease creativity and
output and increase the chances of physical harm and abuse posed to society.
So, the literature review is concluded by emphasizing the development of preventive
measures by the collaborative efforts of schools, parents, social workers and child
psychologists and psychiatrists. The children should attempt to indulge themselves in creative
activities and can sough advise for support groups if needed. They help them by making them

IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-12 SYSTEMS 2
interact with children dealing with similar issues. The teachers should assess the stress factors
prevailing in the general environmental settings of the educational institutions and try to
transform these.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-12 SYSTEMS 3
Contents
Identification of the various symptoms of mental health disorders in K-12 Systems.............................1
Abstract.................................................................................................................................................1
Background and Context.......................................................................................................................4
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................4
Positionality.......................................................................................................................................4
Methodology.........................................................................................................................................6
Search Terms.........................................................................................................................................6
Inclusion criteria....................................................................................................................................6
Search results....................................................................................................................................7
Discussion and Analysis........................................................................................................................7
The current knowledge about the topic and body of research...........................................................7
What is mental illness?......................................................................................................................7
Significance of new research...............................................................................................................12
Major Depressive Disorder..............................................................................................................13
Autism spectrum disorder................................................................................................................14
Eating Disorders..............................................................................................................................14
Anxiety disorders.............................................................................................................................15
Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactive Disorder..........................................................................................16
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.......................................................................................................17
School-based intervention and prevention.......................................................................................18
Research findings............................................................................................................................19
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................20
References...........................................................................................................................................23

IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-12 SYSTEMS 4
Background and Context
Introduction
The mental health issues in K-12 systems of education have affected many students
along with social interactions and direct learning in the classrooms. Both of these factors play
a significant role in the success of students. The mental issues amongst the students is an
important health issue due to their frequency and influence on schools, society and families at
large. Much attention has been given to the mental health issues of children due to increasing
number of suicides and shooting in schools which have placed focus on responding to crisis
instead of adoption of a systematic approach to assist the students with their mental health
needs( Polanczyk, Salum, Sugaya, Caye & Rohde,2015).
So, this literature review emphasizes on the symptoms of mental health issues
amongst children studying in K-12 systems and concludes by stating preventive measures by
the combined efforts of schools, parents, social workers, child psychologists and psychiatrists
to curb the issue. It also states that positive mental health signifies the accomplishment of
emotional and developmental milestones, healthy societal development along with effective
managing skills so that the mentally healthy students enjoy a great quality of life and can also
function well in their homes, societies and schools. On the other hand, mental health
disorders can be explained as severe deviations from expected social , emotional and
intellectual growth (Ekornes,2015).
Positionality
As per Lawrence et al.,(2015) the rate of mental health concerns in Australian
students is one in every ten students residing in Australia. As per the Report On The Second
Australian Child And Adolescent Survey Of Mental Health And Wellbeing, students between

IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-12 SYSTEMS 5
the age of 11-17 years were surveyed for assessing the number of students suffering from
mental disorders. Around 55% or 6,310 households and 89% or 2,967 young people
responded to this survey. The results of the survey were quite shocking. It was found that
one in every seven students aged between 4-17 years was suffering from a diagnosable
mental disorder in the last 12 months. It was equal to 560,000 children and teens in Australia.
Bateman, Lloyd & Tankersley (2015) stated that the most common prevailing
disorder is Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD) in Australia.ADHD was the
commonly prevalent mental disorder amongst 7.4% of children and teens. It was followed by
6.9% of children suffering from an anxiety disorder, 2.8% of students suffering from a major
depressive disorder and 2.1% of them suffering conduct disorder. 298,000 children aged
between 4-17 years in Australia were suffering from ADHD. 278,000 of them were suffering
from anxiety disorders, 112,000 were suffering from a major depressive disorder and 83,600
were diagnosed with conduct disorder in the year 2015. The survey also researches that the
various symptoms of mental health disorders can be anxiety, depression and manic-
depressive illness.
Kolbe, Allensworth, Potts‐Datema & White (2015) explained that these disorders can
result in increased rates of suicide amongst students caused due to interactions of mood swing
syndromes along with other factors. It is the main cause of death amongst the students aged
between 4-17 years in Australia.At times, these students may suffer from more than one
disorder. It is estimated that 30% of the students suffer from more than one disorder in the
last 12 months. The students suffering from behavioral disorders tend to be arrested three
times more before they leave school. The children suffering from mental disorders are more
inclined to have issues in their adulthood with severe impact on the society with reduced
productivity, increased abuse and chances of physical harm with considerable harm posed to

IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-12 SYSTEMS 6
the society as a whole. Children with mental health issues need a variety of support in schools
to make them successful.
The previous research proposal was focused upon the analysis of the mental health
issues in K-12 systems in general. It lacked the assessment of symptoms of these mental
health disorders. This literature review is focused on identifying the symptoms of mental
health issues prevailing in K-12 systems.
Methodology
This literature review is developed after interpreting various databases related to
journal articles, books, the government published articles and websites in the field of
identification of symptoms of the mental health of students. In this regard, quantitative
research methodologies like case study analysis, etc were applied in this research.
Search Terms
K-12 systems, Mental Health Issues, Teenagers, Mental Illness, Intervention and Prevention.
Inclusion criteria
The primary resources used in the literature review are related to the symptoms
responsible for origination of mental health disorders amongst teenagers studying in K-12
systems of education. The supporting sources reveal the statistics regarding the percentage of
children suffering from these disorders. These sources also include case studies and reports
from National Institute of Mental Health and the likes. They also emphasize the involvement
of parents and teachers in helping the children to cure from these disorders.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-12 SYSTEMS 7
Search results
Google scholar was used for the search results regarding the relevant sources for the
study. The reason for selection of these resources was to highlight symptoms of mental
illness amongst children studying in K-12 systems, so that the school based interventions can
be introduced for reducing violence in the schools.
Discussion and Analysis
The current knowledge about the topic and body of research
The current knowledge about the topic and body of research is to identify mental
illness in students of K-12 systems. It is up to the adults to identify if the child is facing
concerns of mental health. It becomes difficult to differentiate the signs of mental health
issues from the normal behavior of children. The students in K-12 systems may develop
similar mental health conditions as adults but they express it differently. They can
experience mental health conditions like anxiety disorders such as obsessive-compulsive
disorder, social phobia, post-traumatic stress and a generalized anxiety disorder showing a
consistent problem interfering with their routine activities (Kolbe, Allensworth, Potts‐
Datema & White,2015).
What is mental illness?
It is important to understand what is mental illness. It is a condition that is based on
the brain which affects emotions, thoughts and behaviors. The brains of students suffering
from mental illness have changed in such a way that they are unable to feel, act and think as
per their wish. It also pertains to experiencing unexpected and extreme fluctuations in mood-
like feeling sad or worrisome than usual. Some students may also not have clarity in their
thinking along with not being able to communicate properly with somebody who is trying to

IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-12 SYSTEMS 8
interact with them. They might have strange thoughts which might be explained by them
through weird feelings.
There are more than 200 forms of mental disorders prevalent in children. Some of
them may include bipolar disorders, depression, dementia, anxiety disorders and
schizophrenia. The symptoms of these disorders may include fluctuations in mood,
personality, habits and social withdrawal. Mental health may be connected with excessive
stress because of a specific situation or series of events. Mental disorders amongst children
may be caused due to the combined response of environmental stresses and biochemical
disproportions or their combination. The children can recover from mental or emotional
disorders with the help of proper treatment and care (Moore et al.,2015).
This literature review is focussed upon the issues which have not been researched
upon by the researcher in the research proposal. It would highlight the symptoms of mental
disorders in children studying in the K-12 system of education. As per Fazel, Hoagwood,
Stephan & Ford (2014), the symptoms of mental health disorders amongst the students
pertain to emotional disturbance, depression, anxiety disorders, substance misuse and post-
traumatic stress symptoms.However, it can be said that some anxiety is a part of the life of
every child which transforms from one developmental stage to another. But when the child
finds difficulty in functioning normally, then the anxiety disorder should be considered.
The common prevalent symptoms of mental disorder in younger children are changes
in their academic performance, poor grades in spite of good efforts, extreme anxiousness and
worry, fluctuations in sleeping and eating habits, nightmares, rebelliousness and anger,
hyperactivity and temper tantrums. The common symptoms in pre-adolescents and older
children are use of alcohol and drugs , incapability to cope up with routine activities, excess
complaints of physical injuries, fluctuations in habits of dealing with responsibilities,

IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-12 SYSTEMS 9
intensified fear, frequent anger and persistent negative mood and loss of appetite and
feelings of death( Blodgett & Lanigan, 2018).
As per Association for Children's Mental Health(2019) it is important for the schools
for critically analyze the need for addressing mental health as 1 in every 5 children and youth
are diagnosed with behavioral, emotional and mental health disorders . 1 in every 10 young
people are mentally challenged which is severe to impair their behaviour in school,
community and home. It has been shown by many types of research that children between the
age of 6-17 years are mostly affected by mental disorders. At least 80% of them are not able
to access mental care treatments.
Additionally, mentally disabled students with behavioral and emotional disorders
have the worst rate of graduation amongst all the disabled students. Mental health issues may
affect classroom learning and social interactions which are the crucial factors for the success
of students. Parents often consult the teachers and schools for assessing the role of mental
issues in relationships and the difficulties faced by their children in schools. Some of the
parents misinterpret these symptoms as those about physical ailments but they need to
differentiate between physical and mental disorders. Adeniyi & Omigbodun (2016) argued
that sometimes it is equally challenging for the schools to implement the strategies for
addressing mental health issues and assisting the students to manage their symptoms in a
better way.
Dart et al., (2015) stated that mental health can affect children in numerous ways to
different aspects in the environment of schools. The symptoms of one child may seem to be
difficult to manage whereas another child with the same issues may be easier to handle.
Therefore it is the need of the hour to recognize and support mental health in schools due to
the common prevalence of mental health disorders which often develop during childhood and

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10
teenage. They are treatable and their early detecting and intervention strategies can enhance
their chances to succeed in academic and personal life.
If there is an availability of appropriate services for supporting the health care needs
of students, then their success can be maximized by minimizing the negative impact on them.
While figuring out the kind of services and supports to be implemented, it should be kept in
mind that all the children are unique with different needs and mechanisms. The chosen
mental health interventions should be based upon individual needs or every child and be
flexible enough for providing more or less support as needed. Children with mental health
care needs often require a variety of support in their educational institutions to be successful.
John was a child of 4 years of age. He was suffering from hyperactivity disorder. So,
his teachers thought to inculcate some activities from which he may be benefitted from his
daily routine. They used methods like making him sit on places that were away from doors
and windows, making him sit in front of their desk and use visuals and colors to instruct him.
Simultaneously, Amelia was diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder(ODD). She was
12 years old. Her teacher, Ms. Watkins was frustrated as she had refused to do what she was
asked to do for the fourth time in a day.
It was not lunchtime yet. Ms. Watkins had a meeting with her parents and they also
complained the same about Amelia. So, a counselor at school asked her to avoid struggles
with her teachers and peer group. She was asked to get involved in cognitive problem
resolving techniques, develop relationships and social skills training. The teachers were asked
to use a reward system where the student can be given an incentive like an iPad or lunch with
the teacher for maintaining disciplined behavior in class. The teachers are also instructed to

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11
personally connect with students suffering from ODD so that they can resolve their problems
rather than making them stand out negatively.
Stephan, Sugai, Lever & Connors (2015) suggested that students with mental issues
can also be taught planning skills. The aggressive and over-anxious students can be benefitted
by exploring things that lead them to those feelings. They can be taught certain strategies that
help them to recognize their acts in certain situations and assist them in avoiding problems
from increasing. The students may also require special instructions and practice in schools.
Zoe was facing difficulties in communicating with her teachers and peer group, so her parents
and teachers helped her in overcoming this difficulty by making her practice in small groups
and by role play.
An important thing in this regard is how to diagnose these problems at the very
beginning so that they can be mitigated at the early stage. Owens et al., (2015) suggested that
one strategy which can help attempt to resolve problems is to build a strong relationship with
the child's school and staff. It can be felt challenging at times if the school is not willing to do
so for his/her success. The staff of the school and the parents should have a common
objective for helping the child to be successful in academic and personal life.
Irrespective of a variety of symptoms and kinds of mental disorders, many families
accept that these feelings are normal and commonly prevalent amongst families experiencing
similar circumstances. The signs of mental illness are behavioral. The child may become
extremely quiet or withdraw himself/herself from society. He/she may also start crying,
become angry or be anxious. Some of the children with mental disorders show anti-social
activities even after the initiation of treatment.The behavior of these children might be violent

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12
and hard to accept. Parents, educators and counselors must inquire, listen openly and be there
to assist them (Mental Health America Inc., 2019).
It is the responsibility of the counselors, educators and teachers to support the child.
There is also a facility of support groups for teens and preadolescents. They provide the
chance to communicate with other children who experience similar difficulties. This can help
the child as it provides valuable advice to them. The therapy can be advantageous for the
child and other members of the family. A mental health care professional can suggest
methods for coping up with these disorders and understand the illness of the child in a better
way( Liu, Xu, Yan & Tong,2018).
Significance of new research
This literature review also highlights the symptoms of mental issues in children
studying in K-12 systems. Depression can be a normal phase of a child’s life if it is exercised
in phases but if a student faces it continuously, then he/she may have a treatable anxiety
disorder. Depression and anxiety can hinder academic success more than other non-academic
factors. They often result in poor judgment, impaired memory and racing thoughts. So, the
students, parents and teachers must seek more information on the identification of symptoms
of various disorders so that they can be mitigated at their early stage( Price, 2017).
Ball et al., (2015) stated the fact that there are various socio-demographic factors
impacting the prevalence of mental disorders. These may comprise of household income,
family conditions, education level of parent and guardians, labor force status of parent and
guardian, the functioning of family and standard of living. The teenagers and children of low-
income group families with a low level of education of parents and guardians suffer from
higher rates of mental issues. There is also a strong relationship between their living

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13
conditions and mental issues. Furthermore, students living in step or a single-parent family
are more prone to mental disorders as compared to those who live in their original families
with no step-siblings.
Major Depressive Disorder
As per the National Institute of Mental health (2019) around 11% of children are
diagnosed with depression till they are 18 years of age. Girls are twice as likely to have
depression as compared to boys after attaining puberty. Students hailing from families where
at least one member is suffering from depression are prone to a higher risk of depression.
Depression is weakening and prevents children from involving in routine activities like doing
their homework. They may display numerous symptoms like poor concentrating power,
changes in eating and sleeping habits, panic attacks and low energy and mood swings. The
students may find difficulty in getting motivated enough for studying, working on
assignments and attending classes.
De Voursney & Huang (2016) also supported this fact by stating that the key feature
of this major depressive disorder is depressive mood, irritability, bad mood or loss of interest.
These five symptoms of depression must be present for at least two weeks. These must lead
to a clinical crucial disturbance for the child it must interfere with his /her social
environment, functioning at school or home.
The other type of symptoms in mental issues about mood disorder is bipolar and
depression. A child can feel consistent feelings of mood swings or sadness which are of much
more serious nature as compared to normal mood swings which are common in most of the
children. If depression is not diagnosed and treated on time, then the students may face a
difficult time in their studies as they are promoted from one class to another.

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14
Autism spectrum disorder
Another symptom of mental health issues is Autism spectrum disorder which is a
severe developmental disorder appearing in the early days of childhood before 3 years of age.
It always affects the ability of children to communicate with others along with repetitive
patterns of behavior ( Chan, 2016). Autism in Australia is more likely to affect 83% of
children aged under 25 years. It was more common amongst children aged 5-14 years in
2015. Children suffering from Autism may face difficulties in education.Around 83,700
children aged between 5-20 years are affected by Autism in Australia.
Eating Disorders
The eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and binge eating disorder can be life-
threatening disorders as children become busy with weight and food that they can little focus
on something else. As per the National Institute of Mental Health (2019) female middle and
high school students are more likely to have eating disorders. Those suffering from bulimia
and anorexia experience side effects like nausea, fatigue and headaches which makes it more
difficult for them to succeed in their classes. These disorders can harm the cognitive function
in teens which can lead to long-lasting results.
Eating disorders can lead to anxiousness and stress thereby impeding the motivation
of students to work on their assignments.These may also cause behavioral issues which
makes it hard for them to learn. Schizophrenia is another symptom of mental disorder causing
a student to lose touch with real life situations (i.e. psychosis). The children suffering from
mood swings are sad or withdraw themselves for at least two weeks which causes problems
about school or home. Sometimes they become overwhelmed with fear without any

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15
reason.They become worrisome or fear intensely which often interferes with their routine
activities( Lewallen, Hunt, Potts‐Datema, Zaza & Giles, 2015).
The behavioral changes also include drastic transformations which include out of
control behavior. The children tend to fight frequently with weapons and express the desire to
hurt others badly. They also face difficulty in concentrating or sitting in a still position
thereby leading to poor performance in educational institutions. The children, unlike adults,
might have stomach aches or headaches instead of anxiousness and sadness in poor mental
health conditions. They may also lose their appetite suddenly, frequently vomit and use
laxatives. They can also harm themselves deliberately. These acts may include burning or
cutting themselves. As discussed earlier, they may also develop suicidal thoughts. Some of
the kids also use alcohol or drugs for coping up with these feelings (Gordon, 2015).
Anxiety disorders
Anxiety disorders are a group of conditions instead of one disorder. The common
characteristics of these disorders are persistent worry or fears which interfere with the
capability to execute the routine activities. Although sometimes it is considered to be
common for students to get anxious and worrisome some of them become more fearful than
their peer group. This may restrict them from participating in social and academic activities
or intervene with their ability to do what other youngsters of their age do. Social phobia is a
kind of anxiety disorder that is characterized by constant fear or avoiding social activities or
situations in which there are chances of embarrassment( Porche, Costello & Rosen-
Reynoso,2016).
Separation anxiety disorder is caused by anxiety regarding the separation from home
or from those family members to whom the student is attached. Generalized anxiety disorder

IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-12 SYSTEMS
16
is characterized by anxiousness or nervousness about numerous activities occurring for six
months. It is associated with symptoms like feeling keyed up, fatigue, difficulty in
concentrating, irritability, disturbance in sleeping, mind going blank. Many of the learners
also suffer from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). They may suffer from obsessive
feelings, fears and feel compelled for performing rituals all over the day. It can make learning
an unsettling task as even they make wish to focus in class and complete their home works
but chaotic thoughts may distract them from studies. It leads to bad performance in tests,
difficulty in comprehending the course material and incapability to do the homework( Kase et
al.,2017).
Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactive Disorder
Children aged between 2-17 years are diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactive
Disorder (ADHD). It can lead to the number of behaviors that can impact educational
performance comprising of daydreaming, facing trouble listening to a peer group, talking out
of turn, restlessness, bore drum. Students suffering from ADHD behave carelessly due to
their rash behavior or difficulty in remembering when are the projects due. The learners
suffering from ADHD are often prone to receive lower or failed grades. ADHD is often
connected with other health issues like anxiousness, stress and bipolar disorders.
Iz & Çeri (2018) also mentioned that in a study it was found that children suffering
from ADHD are more prone to recurring injuries. It has also been reported by researches that
ADHD when combined with ODD causes more death rates in children.

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD) can also occur to students when they
experience a traumatic stressor in their lives. As per Soleimanpour, Geierstanger & Brindis
(2017) it is a diagnosable anxiety disorder in which children might feel anxious and cautious
and have invasive thoughts of trauma. The symptoms may include sudden and constant
flashbacks of traumatic events by invasive memories and dreams.Some of them even
experience disassociation from events.They may also constantly look for dangers thereby
leading to irritation and lack of attentiveness. The child may also deliberately avoid activities
that may remind him of those painful remembrances( Russa, Matthews & Owen-
DeSchryver, 2015).
In this regard, very young children may wet the bed even after having learned how to
use the toilet. They may forget how to walk and act out of the scary event during playtime.
They may cling to their parents or adults for no reason.
Lacy et al. (2018) also found that higher rates of ADHD (22.1%), anxiousness
(12.8%) and stress (10.5%) were evaluated in the group of children when it was compared to
published norms in general population which were recorded by American Psychiatric
Association in the year 2013. The examples of traumatic experiences can be domestic abuse,
assaults, severe accidents and non-violent misconduct. It can also be caused when a child
witnesses a distressing event. PTSD can severely impact the memory and makes it harder
for the student to concentrate. The children may also experience panic attacks along with a
lack of enthusiasm and attentiveness and disturbed eating and sleeping habits.
It was also diagnosed that about 2.6% depressive disorders, 3.4% ADHD and 6.5%
anxiety disorders are prevalent all over the world. These symptoms may again lead to

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18
difficulty in paying attention in the class along with performing well in the assignments
thereby leading to poor grades. So, it has been observed that common reasons for anxiety and
stress may be related to pressures in the family or school life. There are various reasons for
experiencing stress like pressure at school in terms of papers and tests, changes in the school
environment or educators and conflicts with the peer group.
Schulte-Körne(2016) critiqued this fact by stating that the kids may also experience
stress due to loss of a crucial relation like change in the family, joining of a new sibling,
separation of parents and death of a grandparent. The need for and significance of this new
research was to analyze the symptoms of mental disorders amongst children studying in K-12
systems as without proper treatment and identification of symptoms, children would be prone
to an increased risk of failure in academics.They may also come in contact with the criminal
justice system and even commit suicide.
School-based intervention and prevention
Certain intervention and prevention of these issues should be conducted at the school
level by the various stakeholders like parents, educators, counselors and government. The
aim should be to strengthen the mental health of children and adolescents. These may pertain
to transforming the school settings – environment, the inclusion of extracurricular activities
and increasing social acceptance of these children. The programs for reducing violence and
cultivating conflict resolution should also be introduced in the schools. The sustained
implementation of programs with assured quality along with advanced and extended training
can lead to the success of prevention and intervention programs in schools( Baker, Hebbeler,
Davis-Alldritt, Anderson & Knauer,2015).

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Research findings
The research findings of this literature review overcome the limitations of the
previously done research proposal by identifying the symptoms of mental issues in the K-12
system of education. They also make the readers aware of the types of mental disorders
prevailing in Australia and their prevalence rate amongst young children and teenagers. There
might be several reasons for the kids to feel depressed and anxious and if these symptoms are
not addressed at their developmental stage, then they become a major cause of disturbance
for the children and their families throughout their life.
Sometimes , these disorders ruin their academic career as well as their personal
lives . The children suffering from these disorders are arrested three times more before the
completion of their education. The children suffering from mental disorders have issues inn
their adulthood with decreased productivity and increased chances of abuse and physical
harm posed to society. Sadly, the worst rate of graduation is high amongst students suffering
from mental disorders is highest amongst all the disabled students suffering from physical
disorders. It has been argued that it is a general phenomenon for kids to feel anxious and
depressed in the new environmental settings in schools or society but these symptoms persist
for more than two weeks, then there is a need for medical consultation.
Very young children react differently as they are not as expressive as older children
and teenagers. So, it is the responsibility of parents, guardians and educators to analyze these
symptoms and sought to medical help or the counselor for early detection of signs and their
therapy.The commonly prevalent mental health disorder is Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder amongst Australian children. It is followed by an anxiety disorder, major depressive
disorder, conduct disorder. Studies also reveal that the major symptoms of mental health

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20
disorders are depression, anxiousness and manic-depressive illness. These disorders can lead
to an increased rate of suicide amongst Australian students( Siceloff, Bradley & Flory,2017).
The suicidal tendencies amongst the students are caused due to reactions of mood
swings with other factors. It has also been found that students can suffer from more than one
disorder. The findings also reveal that some of the parents misinterpret these symptoms as
those about physical ailments but they need to differentiate between physical and mental
disorders. It becomes equally challenging for the schools to interpret the strategies for
managing mental health issues and assisting the students in dealing with these symptoms in a
better way( Leroy, Wallin & Lee, 2017).
The children and teens require extensive support and assistance from their family
members, friends, educators and the society as a whole in this regard. In this context, it has
also been advised that certain intervention and prevention programs should also be introduced
in the schools for improving the mental health of students. These may include the change in
the atmosphere of classes and the introduction of extracurricular activities in the syllabus
(Lewis, McIntosh, Simonsen, Mitchell & Hatton,2017 ).
Conclusion
The risk of an increasing rate of mental disorders in children and teenagers should be
identified at the early stage so that they can be mitigated through preventive measures. As it
is seen that ADHD is the most common prevailing disorder in Australia, so the students and
their family members should be informed about the options available in health care systems
for the prevention of this disorder. The findings of this literature review are that ADHD is the
commonly prevalent mental disorder amongst Australian children. They also indicate that

IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-12 SYSTEMS
21
parents sometimes are not able to differentiate between normal and unusual behavior of their
children.
The limitation of this literature review is that it fails to research the various
interventions and preventive measures to be executed by the schools and government
authorities for mitigating this issue in detail. Furthermore, this literature review was based
upon the survey conducted by the Second Australian Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental
Health and Wellbeing in the year 2015. The data was collected through the questionnaire
completed by the children aged between 11-17 years on a tablet computer. Data were absent
for less common disorders. The young people participating in the survey may be suffering
from certain disorders not covered in the questionnaire.
This literature review implies that it would pave a path for new researches on the
development of interventions and preventive measures for curbing these issues. The
campaigns should be conducted for creating awareness amongst parents, educators and
children regarding the early identification of symptoms of these issues. The older children
and adolescents should try to indulge themselves in creative activities which can help them to
tackle these issues. The teachers should also identify the stress factors at school like
unsupportive relations of teachers and pupils and a poor unenthusiastic climate of classes
which can increase the risk of developing mental issues amongst students.
The teachers should also be trained regarding the types and symptoms of disorders
prevalent in children. It is the duty of the parents apart from teachers to cooperate with
educational institutions and seek assistance from social workers and psychologists to assess
the stress factors in school and societal settings and diminish the risks for kids and teens in

IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-12 SYSTEMS
22
those settings. Thus health promotion programs should target children as well as those who
work and care for them.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE VARIOUS SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN K-12 SYSTEMS
23
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