A Psychological Skills Curriculum: What and How

In keeping with the definition of mental health, a psychoeducational curriculum works toward overarching goals of teaching people to be happy, to contribute to the happiness of others, and to be patient and resilient when the first two goals become elusive. This chapter presents a list of 62 psychological skills thought to contribute to the achievement of these goals; examples are awareness of one’s own emotions, relaxation, option-generating, and tolerance of painful emotions. These can be organized into 16 groups, for example decision-making, fortitude, joyousness, and productivity. These may be taught or promoted by ten methods of influence, for example modeling, instruction, practice, and reinforcement. In addition to the skills of becoming mentally healthy oneself, the curriculum should include the study of how to make mental-health-friendly environments for both self and others. Such environments should include positive emotional climates, effort-payoff connection, quality models in media, and norms regarding substance use. A number of exercises are designed to give practice in psychological skills, involving for example celebrating one’s positive examples of skills, fantasy rehearsing positive patterns, being a responsive listener, and brainstorming options for hypothetical situations. And excellent teaching in academic skills, particularly reading, is also of high priority.