How can nurses promote mental health in school-age children?

How can nurses promote mental health in school-age children?

• A. Providing financial assistance
• B. Encouraging healthy friendships
• C. Organizing sports events
• D. Conducting academic assessments

Answer: (B)

Encouraging healthy friendships is a vital approach to promote mental health in school-age children. Social interactions and the quality of friendships during this developmental stage significantly impact emotional well-being. Healthy friendships provide children with a support system, helping them to develop social skills, empathy, and resilience. Positive relationships can buffer against the effects of stress and anxiety, fostering a sense of belonging and acceptance. This support network aids in the development of self-esteem and effective coping strategies, which are essential components of mental health. While the other options may have merit in various contexts, they do not directly address the promotion of mental health in the same way that healthy friendships do. For example, financial assistance is not typically within the purview of nursing interventions for children. Organizing sports events can promote physical health and teamwork but may not specifically foster emotional connections unless they facilitate social interaction. Academic assessments focus more on educational achievement rather than the social and emotional dimensions necessary for mental health promotion.

Encouraging healthy friendships is a vital approach to promote mental health in school-age children. Social interactions and the quality of friendships during this developmental stage significantly impact emotional well-being. Healthy friendships provide children with a support system, helping them to develop social skills, empathy, and resilience. Positive relationships can buffer against the effects of stress and anxiety, fostering a sense of belonging and acceptance. This support network aids in the development of self-esteem and effective coping strategies, which are essential components of mental health.

While the other options may have merit in various contexts, they do not directly address the promotion of mental health in the same way that healthy friendships do. For example, financial assistance is not typically within the purview of nursing interventions for children. Organizing sports events can promote physical health and teamwork but may not specifically foster emotional connections unless they facilitate social interaction. Academic assessments focus more on educational achievement rather than the social and emotional dimensions necessary for mental health promotion.