Abstract

In the United States, the prevalence of poor mental health among middle and high school kids has amplified quickly (CDC, 2023). Schools are looking for different initiatives to combat this epidemic (Department of Education, n.d.). A local school district has an initiative where students have access to a room where they can come to relax and destress during the day. The purpose of this study is to determine the value and usefulness of such a room. We used a non-experimental questionnaire, as well as informal interviews with students, to understand student perspectives on the drop-in room. From our initial data, it seems that most students think the drop-in room improves their school experience and would like to see it continued. Based on our results, we recommend that other schools consider implementing a drop-in room based on the positive impacts it could potentially have on students’ mental health and school experience.