Our Research

We are experts in child and adolescent psychology for children aged 11-14. To create the Good Human Health program, we did extensive research in addition to our own education, experiences, and evidence-based practices.

Citations at the end of this page.

What is Social and Emotional Health?

Social and Emotional Health (SEH) used interchangeably with Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is “the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions” (CASEL).

The research demonstrates that SEL has a positive impact on a wide range of outcomes, including academic performance, healthy relationships, and mental health. In this way, Social and Emotional Health and Life Skills are protective against the development of more severe mental health conditions.

Why does mental health matter for children and adolescents?

The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Children’s Hospital Association have declared a “National Emergency” in child and adolescent mental health (AAP-AACAP-CHA).

The biggest increases in depression and self harm is among 10-14 year olds (Lehtimaki).

That’s why we’ve focused our work with Good Human on that age range.

One out of every two people in the world will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime, according to a large-scale study co-led by researchers from Harvard Medical School and the University of Queensland. These disorders typically first emerge in childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood with the peak age of first onset being 15 years old (McGrath).

The number of teenagers and young adults with clinical depression more than doubled between 2011 and 2021.

Substance use, drinking and driving, and teen pregnancy rates are all down but suicide, depression and anxiety are way up. Some of this reasons for this are:

  1. Puberty has begun to start earlier (average 16 down to 12, bringing about changes to the brain earlier which make kids more susceptible to anxiety and depression.

  2. Coping skills are not sufficiently developed given the earlier onset of susceptibility to stressors. Frontal cortex not fully formed.

  3. Social media amplifies it.

  4. Lack of sleep increases vulnerability.

  5. Loneliness and disconnection given the pandemic and social media.

(Richtel)

The majority of American parents are concerned about mental health.

Pew Research Center’s Parenting in America Today survey, released in January 2023, found that mental health issues are a top concern for parents, with 40 percent saying they are extremely or very worried that their children are struggling with anxiety or depression, and 36 percent feeling somewhat worried. This is as compared to 2015, when only 54 percent of parents reported worrying at all (Perfas).

We’re trying a new solution with the Good Human Health Program.

Research Sources

McGrath, J. J., Al‐Hamzawi, A., Alonso, J., Altwaijri, Y., Andrade, L. H., Bromet, E. J., Bruffærts, R., Caldas-De-Almeida, J. M., Chardoul, S., Chiu, W. T., Degenhardt, L., Demler, O., Ferry, F., Gureje, O., Haro, J. M., Karam, E. G., Karam, G., Khaled, S. M., Kovess–Masféty, V., . . . Zaslavsky, A. M. (2023). “Age of onset and cumulative risk of mental disorders: a cross-national analysis of population surveys from 29 countries.” The Lancet Psychiatry, 10(9), 668–681. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366(23)00193-1

All of the modules in the Good Human Program are rooted in further evidence and research.

AAP-AACAP-CHA: Declaration of a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. (2021, October 19). American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.aap.org/en/advocacy/child-and-adolescent-healthy-mental-development/aap-aacap-cha-declaration-of-a-national-emergency-in-child-and-adolescent-mental-health/

Perfas, S. L.. (2023, March 6). Young people are hurting, and their parents are feeling it. Harvard Gazette. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/03/worried-about-childs-mental-health-youre-not-alone/

CASEL: Fundamentals of SEL. (2023, October 9). CASEL (The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning). https://casel.org/fundamentals-of-sel/#:~:text=SEL%20is%20the%20process%20through,and%20make%20responsible%20and%20caring

Lehtimaki, S., Martic, J., Wahl, B., Foster, K. T., & Schwalbe, N. (2021). Evidence on Digital Mental Health Interventions for Adolescents and Young People: Systematic Overview. JMIR Mental Health, 8(4), e25847. https://doi.org/10.2196/25847.

Richtel, M., & Flanagan, A. (2022, May 3). ‘It’s life or death’: The mental health crisis among U.S. teens. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/23/health/mental-health-crisis-teens.html