Body Image and Mental Health in Young People
Learn more about how to support children and young people with their body image and mental health with this online course from the Mental Health Foundation.
Duration
3 weeks
Weekly study
3 hours
100% online
How it works
Unlimited subscription
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On this three-week course from the Mental Health Foundation, you’ll explore body image and the impact it has on children and young people’s mental health.
With the help of experts from across the Foundation’s programmes, research, and policy teams, you’ll examine body image, its relationship with mental health, the factors that affect it, and how to support children and young people to develop and maintain healthy body image.
This course will guide you through the many influences on body image, from social media to physical health conditions, and how body image affects mental health and quality of life in young people.
Through this course, you’ll learn some personal actions you can take to develop and maintain healthy body image, helping to build a more accepting culture for young people.
You’ll also gain tips on how to support young people in educational settings, at home, and through policy. From informed conversations to health education, you’ll finish this course with a wide range of tools to support children and young people with their body image.
The Mental Health Foundation is one of the UK’s leading mental health charities, taking a prevention-focused public mental health approach to its work.
Their mission is to help all people understand, protect, and sustain their mental health, which makes them uniquely suited to guide you through the important topic of body image in young people.
Welcome to the course! In this activity, you will meet the Mental Health Foundation team and gain an overview of the course. There will be a chance to reflect on your expectations and meet the other learners.
In this activity, you will define the term ‘body image’, explore what constitutes healthy body image and body image concerns, and critically engage with research on the prevalence of body image concerns.
In this activity, you will define the term ‘mental health', explore what constitutes both good mental health and mental health problems, and critically engage with research on the prevalence of mental health problems.
In this activity, you will explore how body image interacts with mental health and quality of life, and discuss some of the factors that affect the relationship.
In the final half of this week’s activities, you will examine some of the factors that impact body image across different life stages, using case studies. You will focus first on later life.
In this activity, you will explore how comfortable adults are with their bodies, and examine some of the factors that impact body image during adulthood. Case studies will be used.
This activity provides a space to reflect on what you have learned in Week 1.
Welcome to Week 2 of the course! In this activity, you will recap what you have learned so far, before being introduced to body image in childhood and adolescence.
In this activity, you will explore the relationship between body image, mental health, and behaviour in children and young people in the UK. There will be a conversation exercise and a space for reflection on the topic.
In this activity, you will explore the influence that parents and family members, as well as peers and friends, have on children and young people's body image.
In this activity, you will explore the influence of ethnicity and culture on children and young people's body image.
In this activity, you will explore the impact of physical health conditions and disabilities, as well as neurodiversity and learning disabilities, on children and young people's body image, using case studies.
In this activity, you will explore the different life changes and transitions that can impact body image throughout childhood and adolescence. You will discuss the topic using a case study.
In this activity, you will explore the impact that exposure to cosmetic procedures can have on children and young people's body image.
In this activity, you will explore the impact of media and technology on children and young people's body image, particularly their role in body ideal internalisation. You will discuss the topic using a case study.
This activity provides a space to reflect on what you have learned in Week 2.
Welcome to Week 3 of the course! In this activity, you will recap what you have learned so far, and discuss some of the signs and behaviours that indicate body image concerns are affecting mental health and quality of life.
In this activity, you will investigate how, by taking personal actions, professionals can develop and maintain both their own healthy body image, and that of the children and young people they work with.
In this activity, you will explore how to hold helpful and informed conversations with children and young people about cosmetic procedures using articles and conversation excercises..
In this activity, you will explore how to support the wider community to address body image concerns in school and further education settings.
In this activity, you will explore how to support the wider community around young people to address body image concerns at home.
In this activity, you will explore UK policy and regulation around social media, advertising, and industry, as well as health care, social care, and public health action.
This activity provides a space to reflect on what you have learned in Week 3.
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