Teaching Mental Health and Suicidality in Modern Spanish Fiction: Approaches for the Undergraduate Curriculum
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| Title: | Teaching Mental Health and Suicidality in Modern Spanish Fiction: Approaches for the Undergraduate Curriculum |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Mark Mascia |
| Source: | Hispania. 2026 109(1):39-46. |
| Availability: | American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, Inc. 900 Ladd Road, Walled Lake, MI 48390. Tel: 248-960-2180; Fax: 248-960-9570; e-mail: AATSPoffice@aatsp.org; Web site: http://www.aatsp.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 8 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Fiction, Mental Health, Suicide, Reader Text Relationship, Spanish Literature, Undergraduate Study, Death, Best Practices, Instruction |
| DOI: | 10.1353/hpn.2026.a984948 |
| ISSN: | 0018-2133 2153-6414 |
| Abstract: | One important theme that has sometimes gone unnoticed in literary studies on wellbeing and health is the role of mental health, as health includes more than just one's physical state. Given the centrality of mental health in today's classrooms, especially in light of the recent COVID pandemic and its impact on students, this topic is even more relevant. The time is especially ripe for the inclusion of mental health issues in teaching Spanish literature, and one salient place to find this is modern Spanish fiction. When factoring in the needs of a program, especially an undergraduate one, these topics would be of interest to students and faculty alike. This study will demonstrate effective methods of, and best practices for, incorporating the topic of mental health and suicide in the Spanish Literature classroom while maintaining rigor and academic expectations. In sum, it is necessary for instructors to not be afraid of confronting mental health and suicide in the teaching of literature. Instructors must make this relatable to students, meeting them at their understanding and knowledge of these topics, and can only do so with compassion and empathy. |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1505760 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | One important theme that has sometimes gone unnoticed in literary studies on wellbeing and health is the role of mental health, as health includes more than just one's physical state. Given the centrality of mental health in today's classrooms, especially in light of the recent COVID pandemic and its impact on students, this topic is even more relevant. The time is especially ripe for the inclusion of mental health issues in teaching Spanish literature, and one salient place to find this is modern Spanish fiction. When factoring in the needs of a program, especially an undergraduate one, these topics would be of interest to students and faculty alike. This study will demonstrate effective methods of, and best practices for, incorporating the topic of mental health and suicide in the Spanish Literature classroom while maintaining rigor and academic expectations. In sum, it is necessary for instructors to not be afraid of confronting mental health and suicide in the teaching of literature. Instructors must make this relatable to students, meeting them at their understanding and knowledge of these topics, and can only do so with compassion and empathy. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0018-2133 2153-6414 |
| DOI: | 10.1353/hpn.2026.a984948 |
