Thread by @naomicfisher

I often say that feeling a lack of control over your life contributes to poor mental health - and recently several people have asked for my evidence. It's such a well-established finding in psychology that I hadn't realised that it wasn't well known in the wider population.1/

This comes from many psychological theories - one I use is cognitive theory, which suggests that particular thoughts and beliefs about the world (like, I have no control, or I can't change anything) underpin and lead to emotional responses such as depression. 2/

It is also very well backed up with evidence. The research talks about control in many different ways, but one important way is agency - the belief that you can make choices and decisions to influence events and have an impact on the world. 3/

Developmental psychologists talk a lot about how agency develops in children - basically, they need opportunities to make meaningful choices and decisions. Taking the control from them, even if you think you know best, robs them of this chance. 4/

Here's an international expert in childhood talking about exactly that. She says that assuming that adults know best and protecting children from acting in a way which adults think isn't in their 'best interests' in the long term denies them agency. 5/thesector.com.au/2020/07/24/chi…

The research literature approaches this from many angles, one of which is locus of control. Having an internal locus of control (i.e. agency, or believing that you can make a meaningful difference to your life) is associated with better mental health in the long term. 6/

Here's a large 2021 study which looked at this in the UK and Japan. They conclude 'an external locus of control is associated with poor mental health regardless of cultural context'. 4/frontiersin.org/articles/10.33…

Here's another study which finds that people who feel in control of their lives and who find purpose and meaning in life are less likely to develop anxiety disorder when things are tough.cam.ac.uk/research/news/…. 6/

Then there is self-determination theory, which suggests that autonomy, competence and relatedness enhance intrinsic motivation which in the long term leads to better learning and wellbeing. 7/

Niemiec & Ryan wrote a review. They say (with reference to education) 'Under such controlling conditions, however, the feelings of joy, enthusiasm, and interest that once accompanied learning are frequently replaced by experiences of anxiety, boredom, or alienation.'8/

Here's the chapter. semanticscholar.org/paper/Autonomy… 9/

I could go on, but you can google for yourselves. There is a lot of research which shows that feeling in control of your life and that you can make meaningful choices is good for your mental health and long term outcome. 10/

We learn this sense of agency as we grow and develop, and there are many factors which may mean a young person does not feel they can make meaningful choices or have any control - poverty, oppression, abuse, even the pandemic. 11/

But there is one thing which isn't inevitable - young people do not have to have their control taken away in the name of education. That is done because adults believe it is in their best interests to do so. They believe that young people must be made to learn. 12/

In their zeal to do so, they may focus on exam results and performance outcomes, and forget to ask how the young person feels about what they are doing - it doesn't seem as important as the exams or retaining subject information. 13/

But what if, by taking away young people's control over their lives in our desire to educate them, we are doing other damage? What if that sense of agency really matters - and is best learnt by exercising it throughout development? 14/

We could make school this amazing opportunity - no matter what else is going on in young people's lives outside, maybe school could be a place to practice making meaningful choices and decisions. They are there for 30 hours a week for 12-13 years. So much time.15/

But to do that, we the adults have to pivot. We have to let go of standardised test scores and the idea that we know best, and instead focus on creating the circumstances for children to thrive in whatever way works best for them. 16/

And that requires a serious rethink of our priorities, instead of test outcomes we need to think about how we can best help children to develop their sense of agency, to find meaning and purpose in their lives. 17/

Agency, meaning and purpose need to be lived. They can't be taught from a book or remembered from a lecture. You need lots of chances to make those decisions and see the consequences. Even if sometimes they are bad decisions. 18/

So that's why I keep saying that a sense of control is important. Currently we remove control from children in the name of education, and it makes no sense to do so. Not if we see education as a holistic, developmental process and not if we care about more than test results. 19/

And that's quite enough from me. I am going to exercise my agency and go to bed. Good night. 20/