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Improving mental health literacy in year 9 high school children across Wales: a protocol for a randomised control treatment trial (RCT) of a mental health literacy programme across an entire country

Nicola J. Simkiss, Greg Malone, Andrew Kemp Orcid Logo, Robert J. Snowden, Nicola Gray Orcid Logo

BMC Public Health, Volume: 20, Issue: 1

Swansea University Authors: Andrew Kemp Orcid Logo, Nicola Gray Orcid Logo

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Abstract

Background: Adolescence is a crucial period for developing and maintaining good habits for mental health and well-being. This is important for future mental health, as most mental health problems manifest during adolescence. Mental health literacy is the foundation for mental health prevention, stig...

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Published in: BMC Public Health
ISSN: 1471-2458
Published: Springer Science and Business Media LLC 2020
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa54087
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Abstract: Background: Adolescence is a crucial period for developing and maintaining good habits for mental health and well-being. This is important for future mental health, as most mental health problems manifest during adolescence. Mental health literacy is the foundation for mental health prevention, stigma reduction, and increased help-seeking efficacy particularly among adolescents. The mental health literacy programme “The Guide”, which was developed in Canada, has shown success in increasing mental health literacy in North American 16-17 year olds. “The Guide Cymru” is an adaptation of The Guide designed for a younger age group (13-14 year olds) and for the Welsh culture and context and is being offered to all state schools in Wales. Methods: This two-armed cluster randomised control trial (RCT) will evaluate the effectiveness of The Guide Cymru. All 205 secondary schools in Wales will be invited to take part, involving up to 30,000 year 9 pupils. Schools will be randomised to either the immediate implementation of The Guide Cymru or to a wait-list control. The wait-list control will receive The Guide Cymru around 12 weeks later. Measures of mental health literacy (assessed via the Knowledge and Attitudes to Mental Health scale) and mental health problems (via the PedsQL and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) will be taken at baseline (pre-intervention), 12 weeks later (after the active group has received The Guide Cymru), and 24 weeks later (after the wait-list control has received The Guide Cymru).Discussion: The trial aims to evaluate if The Guide Cymru increases mental health literacy, including reduced stigma to others and to the self, and increased levels of good mental health behaviours and help-seeking for mental health problems. Trial Registration: ISRCTN15462041. Registered 03/10/2019. https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN15462041Keywords: Mental health literacy, Randomised Control Trial, Early intervention, Self-stigma, Stigma, Education, Adolescence, Help-seeking efficacy, School-based intervention.
Keywords: Mental health literacy, Randomised control trial, Early intervention, Self-stigma, Stigma, Education,Adolescence, Help-seeking efficacy, School-based intervention
College: Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
Issue: 1