FUNDAMENTAL FACTS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH 2016

4.1.1 Interventions during childhood,
early years and in school settings
• Families with children at higher
risk of conduct disorders cost an
estimated £210 million, but £5.2
billion 423 could be saved in the long
term or potentially £150,000
per case, if early-intervention
approaches are used. 424
• The promotion and prevention of
conduct disorders through social
and emotional learning programmes
is estimated to result in an £83.73
return for every £1 invested,
while the return on school-based
interventions to reduce bullying
is £14.35 (based on 2009–10
prices). 425
• The Good Behaviour Game (GBG) is
a two-year classroom management
strategy targeted at six to eight
year olds and designed to improve
aggressive/disruptive classroom
behaviour and prevent later conduct
problems/antisocial behaviour. The
programme, delivered to all children
in this age band, costs around £100
per child. However, the savings over
time are estimated to result in more
than £50 for each £1 invested in the
programme. 426
• Prevention of conduct disorders
in Wales for a one-year cohort
of births is estimated to result in
a potential long-term saving of
£247.5 million. The estimated cost
of prevention approaches is virtually
negligible at £9.9 million, compared
to the amount of savings produced.
Furthermore, promotion of positive
mental health through exercise,
healthy eating and leisure can bring
an additional saving of £1,113.75
million at a cost of £20 million. 427 •
•
Mindfulness for different members
of the school community (pupils
and teachers) is an emerging
development within the field of
prevention. An evaluation of the
Mindfulness in Schools Project has
found that mindfulness interventions
can improve the mental, emotional,
social and physical health and
wellbeing of young people who
take part. It was shown to reduce
stress, anxiety, reactivity and bad
behaviour, improve sleep and selfesteem,
and bring about greater
calmness and relaxation. 428,429
Research into the prevention
of eating disorders has found
positive outcomes for schoolsbased
prevention programme the
Body Project. Results show that
the programme has led to reduced
levels of eating disorder risk factors,
symptomology and onset of eating
disorder for high-school-aged
girls and young women following
participation in the programme. The
findings have been replicated by
independent research teams and
using online approaches. The Body
Project is currently the only eating
disorder prevention programme
that has been warranted by the
American Psychological Association
as an efficacious intervention. 430
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