“32.9% of the high school students in Skopje have visited or were sent to see the school psychologist due to indiscipline, and 15% due to an increased number of student absenteeism” indicate the research data from of the research under the title of “Perceptions of mental health among high school students in Skopje” that was implemented this year by the Association of citizens “The Youth Can”.
This data served as an inspiration for the panel debate titled “I will send you to see the psychologist! – A punishment or support” that took place yesterday at “MladiHab” Sopje. The goal of this event was to instigate a discussion about the role of school psychologists in the care for students’ mental health, to present the findings of the research about the high school students’ perceptions concerning mental health including the results of the program about education regarding mental health.
On basis of her longstanding professional experience, the psychologist Gordana Blazevska Spiridonova began her expose by stressing that in the last three years more and more high school students reach out to her and are asking for help as they want to take care for their mental health.
“We are still at the beginning of this subject as the school is not prepared to respond to problems that aren’t directly related with the education system such as mental health and the diametrically different perception of children, grown ups and the institutions regarding the role of psychologist” she said.
