The HPRS’s interdisciplinary research aims to answer key questions about the health and peer relationships of students in Ontario schools. Students are surveyed during school time each year using an online survey that takes 20 minutes on average to complete.
What are the short- and long-term associations between exposure to bullying and mental health?
Does the Ontario Ministry of Education’s new cellphone policy improve students’ mental health and reduce bullying?
Which health and behavioural factors best predict school attendance rates?
Do students know where to access help if they are feeling stressed?
Does the Grade 7-8 universal school-based mental-health curriculum improve the mental health trajectories of Ontario students?
Are bullying rates improving in Ontario schools?
The HPRS tracks multiple factors through a comprehensive range of questions on four key dimensions: Health, Peer Relationships, Social Connections, and School Climate.
Health is the overall condition of the body and its ability to function optimally. It encompasses physical fitness, proper nutrition, sufficient rest, and the absence of illness, as well as mental well-being, which is essential for overall health and quality of life.
Student peer relationships refer to the friendships and social connections that students form with their classmates and peers. These relationships play a crucial role in emotional development, learning, and overall well-being. Positive peer relationships provide support, foster a sense of belonging, and help students develop important social skills like communication, cooperation, and conflict resolution.
Social connections are the relationships and interactions that help people feel that they matter, and are supported, valued, and included.
School climate refers to the overall quality and character of school life, including the relationships, norms, values, and practices that shape the learning environment.
Data collection begins with teachers reading the survey instructions to students, which outline their rights as participants, including the right to refuse participation and the right to privacy. Students who have parental consent and choose to participate, access the age-appropriate survey online.
The survey covers various topics, including school climate, safety, bullying, the school environment, relationships with peers, as well as students’ thoughts and feelings about their health and behaviour.
To track students over time while preserving their anonymity, responses are linked to a unique identifier code. This code does not require any personally identifiable information, such as names, student numbers, or email addresses.
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