The Leadership of School Administrators in Promoting Mental Health among Primary School Students: A Review Article Leadership In Promoting Student Mental Health
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Abstract
The mental health of primary school students has become increasingly fragile, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has significantly impacted children’s emotional, social, and cognitive development. While existing studies have explored the roles of teachers and parents in supporting children’s mental health, the role of school administrators remains underexamined, despite its critical importance. School leaders serve not only as policy architects but also as key drivers of safe and supportive learning environments. This review article aims to examine and synthesize current knowledge regarding the leadership roles of school administrators in promoting the mental health of primary school students. The analysis is structured around a multi-dimensional leadership framework, encompassing transformational, instructional, supportive, and distributed leadership models. Furthermore, the article proposes a set of comprehensive administrative strategies, including proactive policy formulation, staff development, the cultivation of a supportive school culture, and the implementation of a whole-school mental health promotion system. These strategies emphasize the necessity of cross-sector collaboration. Ultimately, fostering leadership capacity among school administrators who are attuned to the emotional, social, and cultural contexts of children is essential. Such leadership plays a pivotal role in enhancing student mental well-being and academic achievement in the long term.
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