WE STAY

Prof. Danuta Wasserman

Scientific Coordinator of WE STAY, based at the Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden

Research field

Public Health, Mental Health

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Who?

"My goal is to save young people's lives. It is very important that we care about young people's health and work against destructive life styles", says Danuta Wasserman, Professor of Psychiatry and Suicidology at Karolinska Institutet. She is also Director of the National Prevention of Suicide and Mental Ill-Health in Sweden.

Why?

Truancy is a serious public health problem that affects adolescents around the world. Skipping school without a valid reason is associated with poor mental health, including depression and suicidal behaviour and also maladjustment, drug abuse, delinquency and crime. Currently available interventions are ineffective.

What?

Truancy (i.e. skipping school) is an indicator of psychological distress. Our aim is to recommend effective, culturally adjusted intervention methods for preventing truancy and promoting mental health of European adolescents. To this end, we will gather information on truancy and perform school-based intervention programmes.

How?

European collaboration allows us to gather data and perform awareness programmes in several countries. We will also identify students at risk and refer them to mental health services. Our evaluation and intervention materials are available in 9 languages, so that we can develop culturally adjusted interventions.

Preventing school skipping and promoting mental health of adolescents

Video: Vladimir Carli, project manager of WE STAY, describes WE STAY and a related project

WE STAY project website World Health Organization Palo Alto Medical Foundation Women's and Children's Health Network In Focus article 'Reduced truancy, improved mental health'

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Background image: WE STAY

Portrait of the project coordinator: WE STAY

Timeline (in chronological order): WE STAY