Getting a Head-Start: How Early Childhood Mental Health Interventions Last Into Adulthood
Faculty Mentor
Nicolette Rickert
Location
Russell Union Ballroom
Type of Research
Proposed
Session Format
Poster Presentation
College
College of Behavioral & Social Sciences
Department
Psychology
Abstract
As of 2025, roughly 1 in 6 households containing children declared a need for their children to receive some form of mental health treatment (Sappenfield & Ghandour, 2025). With that being said, between 2009-2019 there was a 25.8% rise in pediatric hospitalizations for children in need of mental health diagnoses (Woolf, 2025). The United States is experiencing a mental health crisis amongst the youth that has never been seen before, which can follow individuals into adulthood. This can cause struggles with building relationships, building interpersonal skills, and overall struggles with poor mental health. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to better understand the long-term effects associated with early childhood mental health interventions. Initial findings show that children who underwent a targeted intervention program experienced higher psychological well-being in adulthood (Mondi & Reynolds, 2023), as well as a decrease in destructive behaviors such as substance abuse and violent crimes (McCabe & Godwin, 2025). In addition, children who received some form of childhood mental intervention have had lasting effects into adulthood, including a decrease in depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation (Hill & Steeger, 2025). Recommendations for future research and intervention will be discussed, including components of the most effective forms of early childhood mental health interventions.
Program Description
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Start Date
4-23-2026 2:00 PM
End Date
4-23-2026 4:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Wiese, Annabelle L., "Getting a Head-Start: How Early Childhood Mental Health Interventions Last Into Adulthood" (2026). GS4 Student Scholars Symposium. 163.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2026/2026/163
Getting a Head-Start: How Early Childhood Mental Health Interventions Last Into Adulthood
Russell Union Ballroom
As of 2025, roughly 1 in 6 households containing children declared a need for their children to receive some form of mental health treatment (Sappenfield & Ghandour, 2025). With that being said, between 2009-2019 there was a 25.8% rise in pediatric hospitalizations for children in need of mental health diagnoses (Woolf, 2025). The United States is experiencing a mental health crisis amongst the youth that has never been seen before, which can follow individuals into adulthood. This can cause struggles with building relationships, building interpersonal skills, and overall struggles with poor mental health. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to better understand the long-term effects associated with early childhood mental health interventions. Initial findings show that children who underwent a targeted intervention program experienced higher psychological well-being in adulthood (Mondi & Reynolds, 2023), as well as a decrease in destructive behaviors such as substance abuse and violent crimes (McCabe & Godwin, 2025). In addition, children who received some form of childhood mental intervention have had lasting effects into adulthood, including a decrease in depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation (Hill & Steeger, 2025). Recommendations for future research and intervention will be discussed, including components of the most effective forms of early childhood mental health interventions.
