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
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 preventi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-05-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-020-08736-z |
| _version_ | 1828873604392026112 |
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| author | Nicola J. Simkiss Nicola S. Gray Greg Malone Andrew Kemp Robert J. Snowden |
| author_facet | Nicola J. Simkiss Nicola S. Gray Greg Malone Andrew Kemp Robert J. Snowden |
| author_sort | Nicola J. Simkiss |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T07:19:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fa9343057195479eb28fd77fb58dc12b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T07:19:28Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-fa9343057195479eb28fd77fb58dc12b2022-12-21T23:55:27ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582020-05-012011810.1186/s12889-020-08736-zImproving 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 countryNicola J. Simkiss0Nicola S. Gray1Greg Malone2Andrew Kemp3Robert J. Snowden4Department of Psychology, Swansea UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Swansea UniversityAction for ChildrenDepartment of Psychology, Swansea UniversitySchool of Psychology, Cardiff UniversityAbstract 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.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-020-08736-zMental health literacyRandomised control trialEarly interventionSelf-stigmaStigmaEducation |
| spellingShingle | Nicola J. Simkiss Nicola S. Gray Greg Malone Andrew Kemp Robert J. Snowden 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 BMC Public Health Mental health literacy Randomised control trial Early intervention Self-stigma Stigma Education |
| title | 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 |
| title_full | 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 |
| title_fullStr | 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 |
| title_full_unstemmed | 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 |
| title_short | 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 |
| title_sort | 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 |
| topic | Mental health literacy Randomised control trial Early intervention Self-stigma Stigma Education |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-020-08736-z |
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