African Health Ethics and Law (Clinical/Bioethics focus) | 23 October 2000
The Impact of School-Based Mental Health Services on Academic Performance in Zambian Secondary Schools: A Review
C, h, i, l, u, f, y, a, K, u, n, d, a, ,, C, h, i, p, e, t, a, M, u, l, e, n, g, a
Abstract
School-based mental health services in Zambian secondary schools aim to improve students' psychological well-being, which can indirectly affect their academic performance. A comprehensive search was conducted using multiple databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar. Studies published between and were selected based on inclusion criteria related to the impact of mental health interventions on academic performance in Zambian schools. The review identified several studies suggesting a positive correlation between enhanced mental health support and improved academic performance, with some studies reporting an increase of up to 15% in test scores among students who received counseling services. School-based mental health interventions show promise for enhancing academic outcomes but require further robust evaluation and implementation strategies tailored to Zambian contexts. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies and the development of culturally appropriate mental health programmes, while policymakers should consider integrating these services into school curricula. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p<em>i)=\beta</em>0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.