5 mental health goals for children and teens

Mental health is a phrase that gets used often, especially when talking about kids and teens, but it can be hard to define what it really means.

According to Linda Pinon, M.S., AMFT, a clinical therapist at Loma Linda University Behavioral Health, mental health is best understood by looking at how a young person's mind and brain are functioning within their environment and lived experiences.

"Children will show us how they are doing by how their minds are functioning and how they are behaving, which can be displayed in healthy or unhealthy ways," Pinon explains. "These signs or symptoms can present themselves physically, somatically, emotionally, or mentally."

Unhealthy mental health can look different for every child, but Pinon says there are common patterns to pay attention to, including:

• Emotional dysregulation

• Withdraw

• Aggression

• Difficulty rationalizing situations

• Excessive self-criticism

• Persistent negative thoughts

• Poor sleep

• Declining school performance

• Strained family and social relationships

• Ineffective coping mechanisms

If left unchecked, poor mental health can escalate, and in more severe cases, Pinon has seen it lead to risk-taking behaviors such as self-harming behaviors, suicidal and homicidal ideation, disordered eating, and running away.

Setting mental health goals for kids and teens

One of the most effective ways to support mental health is by setting realistic goals that are supportive and developmentally appropriate. With the support of parents, the following five goals can be established for children of any age to help kids and teens thrive in their personal and social lives.

1. Build a strong relationship with oneself

When kids lack confidence or healthy self-esteem, they often struggle to understand who they are, which can lead to increased anxiety.

"When children don't feel secure in their environment, family system, or about who they are, it can lead to increased worry, poor sense of self, and lack of motivation," Pinon says.

Kids and teens who don't have a good relationship with themselves can struggle to get to know who they really are as individuals. To help establish a strong relationship with self, Pinon says that identifying the child's established strengths and interest - being helpers, being kind, hobbies, sports, and creative outlets -- can provide a foundation to start identifying strengths.

"Over time, consistency with reframing negative thinking patterns, establishing routines, and giving daily reminders of strengths helps children and teens understand who they are, and it becomes easier to build a relationship with themselves," Pinon says.

2. Journaling

When considering age and various developmental stages, many factors contribute to self-questioning, including comparisons with peers through academic performance or social experiences.