In our research, across wide expanses of rural China involving large samples of students, we have found that anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), emotional and behavioral problems, and bullying victimization are prevalent in rural schools. Indeed, mental health issues among various populations of youth in China have become increasingly common over the last decade, with far reaching consequences for students’ performance in school and their ability to flourish later in life. However, there has been an absence of high-quality evidence to date on which interventions can effectively improve the mental health of youth in the Chinese context. Likewise, there has been a lack of targeted policy geared at preventing and treating mental health illnesses, particularly in rural areas where mental healthcare is virtually absent and awareness is low. There is a pressing need for evidence-based, cost-effective approaches to promote mental hygiene, healthy lifestyles, and early detection and prevention of mental illnesses. Using randomized control trials, REAP measures the potential of various interventions, such as social emotional learning (SEL) and Mindfulness Based Programs (MBPs), to improve the health, academic performance, and life outcomes of at-risk populations in China.
