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International Journal of Mental Health Systems
Published in: International Journal of Mental Health Systems 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research

‘teen Mental Health First Aid’: a description of the program and an initial evaluation

Authors: Laura M. Hart, Robert J. Mason, Claire M. Kelly, Stefan Cvetkovski, Anthony F. Jorm

Published in: International Journal of Mental Health Systems | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

Many adolescents have poor mental health literacy, stigmatising attitudes towards people with mental illness, and lack skills in providing optimal Mental Health First Aid to peers. These could be improved with training to facilitate better social support and increase appropriate help-seeking among adolescents with emerging mental health problems. teen Mental Health First Aid (teen MHFA), a new initiative of Mental Health First Aid International, is a 3 × 75 min classroom based training program for students aged 15–18 years.

Methods

An uncontrolled pilot of the teen MHFA course was undertaken to examine the feasibility of providing the program in Australian secondary schools, to test relevant measures of student knowledge, attitudes and behaviours, and to provide initial evidence of program effects.

Results

Across four schools, 988 students received the teen MHFA program. 520 students with a mean age of 16 years completed the baseline questionnaire, 345 completed the post-test and 241 completed the three-month follow-up. Statistically significant improvements were found in mental health literacy, confidence in providing Mental Health First Aid to a peer, help-seeking intentions and student mental health, while stigmatising attitudes significantly reduced.

Conclusions

teen MHFA appears to be an effective and feasible program for training high school students in Mental Health First Aid techniques. Further research is required with a randomized controlled design to elucidate the causal role of the program in the changes observed.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
‘teen Mental Health First Aid’: a description of the program and an initial evaluation
Authors
Laura M. Hart
Robert J. Mason
Claire M. Kelly
Stefan Cvetkovski
Anthony F. Jorm
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
International Journal of Mental Health Systems / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1752-4458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-016-0034-1

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