FROM : Navigating Adolescence: Addressing Mental Health Challenges through Social Work Practice and Policy

Reviewer Comments

This is such an important topic and your focus on adolescent mental health is much appreciated. However, there are major issues with the manuscript as written. The manuscript is thin, under researched, and clarity and lacks the depth necessary for publication. My main question would be “how does this paper add to the existing knowledge base regarding adolescent mental health? Further, how does this article specifically relate to social work and social welfare policy?” – Thinking about these questions (and attempting to answer them) will likely result in a more in-depth and focused manuscript. Watch grammar and syntax throughout. What types of Mental Health issues do adolescents face before age 14, specifically? Can you say more about this? You state “mental health illness” multiple times – Do you mean mental illness? You mention that “later adolescence” is when this population decides what college to attend. Since this is not the case for many (if not most) adolescents, you might consider excluding this point, or helping reader to understand how this point is relevant to this specific manuscript. When you describe the programming that alleviate depression in adolescents (pg 2), many of the treatments listed are not programs, they are treatment modalities. Further, you mention project catch it – Can you unpack or conceptualize what this is? There is a table included on page three and I am not sure about where it fits in the actual manuscript. Can the author explain why this table was included? Or delete the table if not related to the paper? Further, the table only includes two articles within it. This likely means the table is not needed. While it is appreciated that the author lists tips for parents to support adolescent children (pg. 4), I am not sure how this adds to the existing knowledge base. Since the author touches on the importance of mindfulness in schools in order to combat anxiety and depression, it would be prudent to discuss this in further detail. For example, expand on this section on pg. 5 (Effective School-based programs and initiatives) and let the readers know how mindfulness techniques and programming in schools has been studied and what has come out of those studies regarding effectiveness of this intervention. You mention on pg. 5 that “academic institutions that give precedence to emotional wellness typically witness a decline in cases of depressive and anxiety disorders among their students. “ – Perhaps focus your paper more around this. Give the readers examples of specific programming that works, give readers insight into how these programs have been studied. Say more about the importance of these, particularly since the next section completely revolves around barriers/challenges with these programs. This section needs to be much more substantive. You state on pg. 5 that “Program participation by teenagers is frequently a source of resistance” – Say more about this! What does the research say are the reasons this happens. There is information on this that exists. On pg. 6, you state that “In addition, research participants exhibit lower levels of empathy towards individuals suffering from mental illness” – What participants are you talking about here? Can you be specific? On pg. 6, you state that “Rather, they respond angrily to psychiatric disabilities and feel that treatment is unworthy.” – Who are you speaking about here? This is not clear.