School-based prevention of mental health problems the focus of Bennett Lecture

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center will welcome its 2025 Bennett Lecturer, Catherine Bradshaw, senior associate dean for research and professor at the University of Virginia, at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12, in 110 Henderson Building on the Penn State University Park campus. The lecture, in its 24th year, is free and open to the public.

Bradshaw, an internationally recognized researcher in child and adolescent mental health, will share her expertise in the lecture, “School-Based Prevention of Behavioral & Mental Health Problems." She will discuss evidence-based strategies — such as multi-tiered systems of support and social-emotional learning — to improve student mental health in K-12 schools, with a focus on implementation, equity and outreach.

Bradshaw’s research focuses primarily on aggressive behavior and school-based prevention of behavioral and mental health problems. She emphasized that starting interventions and supporting them over time allows schools to not only understand what to implement but also how to implement strategies effectively.

“Schools are really struggling with how to implement the right solutions in these challenging times, especially when we have a short workforce, and resources are limited, and staff are feeling a little burned out about what to do.”

Bradshaw said she aims to break down the science behind commonly used interventions, like social-emotional learning, so students and teachers have a better understanding of why and how they work. She stressed the importance of identifying mental health issues before they become challenging for the students — and the adults in their lives.

“The vast majority of mental health problems have their onset before age 18,” Bradshaw said. “If we want to reduce long-term challenges, we have to start early, especially in schools, where kids spend most of their time.”

Most recently, Bradshaw and her team have created variations of the “Coping Power” program, a school-based intervention targeting aggression, and more recently, how mindfulness can address internal and external issues.

“We’re seeing that mindfulness strategies help kids get in touch with their physical arousal and calm down. In one study, it reduced suicidal thoughts and behavior,” Bradshaw said.

Bradshaw has published more than 335 peer-reviewed articles and chapters and has served as a consultant to organizations such as the United Nations, World Bank and the National Education Association, working on issues related to bullying, mental health and violence prevention.

“I love learning, and I love learning with and through people,” Bradshaw said.

Bradshaw will provide another lecture during her time at Penn State. On Thursday, Nov. 13, Bradshaw will give a presentation, “Adapting School-based Preventive Interventions to Promote Uptake and Scalability,” at 9 a.m. at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center. The event is co-sponsored with the Child Study Center in the College of the Liberal Arts. 

About the Bennett Lecture in Prevention Science

The Bennett Lecture in Prevention Science is hosted each fall by the Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center and honors a global leader in prevention science. This lectureship is made possible through the generosity of Edna Bennett Pierce, 1953 Penn State graduate in Home Economics, who established an endowment in 1999, which also provides a comprehensive portfolio of enhancements to the Center.