In 2021 The U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory about children's mental health, the increasing urgency of addressing children's mental health issues, and how it is not just a medical issue but a moral one, as well (Murthy, V.H., 2021). This growing problem is a wicked one. Wicked problems are complex, do not have a defined path to a solution, and any issue of this type is a symptom of another problem (Wickedproblems, n.d.).
How do you solve a wicked problem like the growing mental health crisis among children? Proposing a solution was my challenge for my final project in my summer graduate class at Michigan State University.
To start, I asked myself many questions to better understand the issue. I wondered why this was such a wicked problem. I pondered the causes of anxiety and depression in kids. I also asked what works in positively impacting mental health in children. I researched online to find answers to these questions.
Emotional Intelligence for Kids by P. Tirumalai
Once I completed my research, I asked myself, "what if we added mental health awareness, healthy habits, and wellness education in school" and "what if we surveyed students to see what they need" as the main questions to formulate a solution. I then thought of "how" we might implement these solutions.
By asking "why, what if, and how," I proposed a solution to the wicked problem of children's mental health (Berger, 2014). You can see what I suggest in the video below. It might not be a perfect solution, but it could be the best bad idea.
Karen Artabasy's Wicked Problem Project about Children's Mental Health
References and Image Credits
Artabasy, K. (2022). Wicked Problem Project, Children's Mental Health. [Unpublished assignment for CEP 810/811/812]. Michigan State University.
Berger, W. (2014). A More Beautiful Question - The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas. Bloomsbury Publishing. https://amorebeautifulquestion.com/book-a-more-beautiful-question/
Murthy, V.H. (2021). Protecting Youth Mental Health, the U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-youth-mental-health-advisory.pd
Tirumalai, P. (2013, March 22). Emotional Intelligence for Kids. [Photo]. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/26113878@N02/19205890733
UYEntertainment. (2012, October 2). Argo: The best bad idea. [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=h6H454-u4yI&feature=emb_logo
Wicked Problems. (n.d.). https://www.wickedproblems.com/1_wicked_problems.php
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