, one in five adults in the U.S. experience symptoms of depression, and . This illness doesn't just affect the individual battling the illness; the effects extend to a person鈥檚 loved ones as well. Research shows that children with parents who have depression may exhibit unhealthy behaviors such as aggression, anxiety, and anger.
However, new research by Lynch School Ph.D. candidate Lindsay Lanteri 鈥�27 (Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology) and Professor Rebekah Levine Coley suggests that schools may be able to protect students from the adverse effects of parental depression. The research pair found that, while parental depression may amplify problem behaviors in students, social connectedness at school can serve as a buffer.听
Prior research, which found that schools were a 鈥減rotective factor鈥� for students in foster care or experiencing homelessness, inspired Lanteri鈥檚 study.
“ I was interested in thinking about how schools could moderate this relationship鈥攂etween parental depression risks and students鈥� behavior problems. ”
Lindsay Lanteri 鈥�27
听
Lanteri and Coley鈥檚 findings suggest that, while parental depression can contribute to problem behaviors (i.e. anxiety and depression), attending 鈥渉ighly connected鈥� schools鈥攚here the student body feels a strong sense of connection鈥攃an disrupt the negative link between parental depression and those 鈥渋nternalizing鈥� behaviors.
鈥淐onnectedness鈥� at school can mean feeling supported, respected, included, and befriended by peers. If students feel highly connected听 鈥攅ven if they receive limited emotional support at home鈥攖hey鈥檙e less likely to engage in maladaptive behaviors.听
鈥淲e shouldn鈥檛 just be thinking about individual-level interventions with students on peer relationships. We should be thinking more broadly about school-level interventions focused on things like anti-bullying initiatives or overall inclusion efforts,鈥� said Lanteri. If a school is deemed 鈥渟ocially exclusive鈥� because all students report feeling excluded by their peers, Lanteri suggests that school-wide, systemic programming could be the solution.听
听
A Whole-Person Education
Whole Person Education in the Classroom
The findings from this research ultimately makes a case for formative, holistic education鈥攖he foundation of the Boston College mission. A formative education means that schools should seek to educate the whole person鈥攖hat a student鈥檚 background, identity, behavior, interests, and desires should be taken into account to create the most meaningful educational experience.
Furthermore, living in a home environment with heightened risk factors like parental depression is one aspect of a student's background; it should not define their potential.
“ "In general, my research shows that there needs to be greater work and thought put into how we can make kids feel more connected in schools, because we know that can have positive social, emotional, and academic benefits.鈥� ”
听
With a holistic approach to educating the whole child, fostering social connectedness for each individual student should be a priority for educators and schools alike.听
Learn more about Lanteri and Coley鈥檚 research, which is published in