Call for papers- Creative interventions in child and adolescent mental health

Guest Editors

Marc-André Éthier, PhD, Université de Montréal, Canada
Catherine Malboeuf-Hurtubise, PhD, Bishop’s University, Canada
Jonathan Smith, PhD, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 28 February 2025

BMC Pediatrics is calling for submissions to our Collection on creative interventions in child and adolescent mental health.
Childhood and adolescence are critical developmental phases that bring unique mental health challenges. Recognizing the established efficacy of creative interventions, this Collection seeks to delve deeper into their transformative potential in child and adolescent mental health. Emphasizing social connection and coping skills, we seek innovative research to synergize creative interventions with support networks, fostering resilience in youth.

New Content Item This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and SDG 4: Quality Education.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Marc-André Éthier, PhD, Université de Montréal, Canada

Dr Marc-André Éthier is a professor of history didactics. The major research councils have funded his work on: teaching materials and curricula, the development of students’ skills related to historical and critical thinking, as well as the nature of the discipline-oriented skills of teachers and their transposition into the classrooms, and on the exploitation of instruction materials (including video games) by students and the effects of this use in the development of their agency and historical thinking. He is editor-in-chief of the Revue des sciences de l’éducation. Dr Éthier has co-edited twenty academic books.

Catherine Malboeuf-Hurtubise, PhD, Bishop’s University, Canada

Dr Catherine Malboeuf-Hurtubise is an associate professor at Bishop’s University and holds a FRQS Research Scholar Junior 1 award (provincial research chair). She is a licensed child psychologist and specializes in youth mental health. Dr Malboeuf-Hurtubise is a leading figure in art therapy and philosophical enquiry with youth in the province of Quebec, Canada. She specializes in youth mental health (including eco-anxiety) and wellbeing and has expertise in self-determination theory as well as program evaluation. Dr Malboeuf-Hurtubise is a PI or co-PI on multiple grants, that all fund projects on children mental health and wellbeing in school settings.

Jonathan Smith, PhD, Université de Sherbrooke, Canada

Dr Jonathan Smith completed a PhD in Educational Psychology at Université de Montreal in Quebec, Canada in 2018. He then joined the Department of Preschool and Primary Education at Université de Sherbrooke as an assistant professor. Dr Smith currently holds an associate professorship. His research specialization lies in the study of student engagement, social relationships, and mental health indicators. Dr Smith works closely with school districts and is particularly interested in estimating the effects of their programs and interventions on the above dimensions, which are strongly associated with academic success and persistence.

About the Collection

BMC Pediatrics invites submissions to our new Collection, Creative interventions in child and adolescent mental health.
Childhood and adolescence are pivotal stages of development, characterized by unique mental health challenges that can profoundly shape future well-being. Recognizing the established efficacy of creative interventions, including art, music, drama, and writing therapy, and creative movement-based activities, this Collection seeks to delve deeper into their transformative potential in children and adolescents’ mental health. Additionally, we emphasize the critical roles of social connection and the development of coping skills in mitigating mental health challenges during these crucial periods.
Through innovative research and insightful contributions, we aim to explore how creative interventions can synergize with efforts to cultivate social support networks and enhance coping mechanisms among children and adolescents.

We welcome submissions across a range of topics, including but not limited to:

Creative interventions (art/music/drama/writing therapy) for childhood and adolescent mental health
Creative movement-based activities (dance/yoga, etc.) and their impact on well-being in children and adolescents
Exploring the role of creativity in childhood and adolescent coping mechanisms
Strategies in building coping skills, as well as the assessments of coping skills
The intersection of social connection and creative interventions

This collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and SDG 4: Quality Education.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Creative interventions in child and adolescent mental health" from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.