Mental health in schools: the development and evaluation of a universal educational intervention

• Register: ISRCTN
• Last refreshed on: 17 October 2016
• Main ID: ISRCTN07406026
• Date of registration: 28/07/2011
• Prospective Registration: No
• Primary sponsor: University of Birmingham (UK)
• Public title: Mental health in schools: the development and evaluation of a universal educational intervention
• Scientific title: The development and feasibility evaluation of a universal educational intervention for secondary school age pupils to combat stigma and misconception of mental illness and to improve mental health literacy and mental health
• Date of first enrolment: 10/01/2011
• Target sample size: 1658
• Recruitment status: Completed
• URL: http://isrctn.com/ISRCTN07406026
• Study type: Interventional
• Study design: Randomised controlled trial (Treatment)
• Phase: Not Applicable

Countries of recruitment

United Kingdom

Contacts

• Name: Katharine Chisholm

Key inclusion & exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. School: Based in the West Midlands Secondary schools represent a rough cross section of West Midlands school types, e.g. grammar, comprehensive, independent. Girls only, boys only, mixed gender.
2. Individual participant:
2.1. Pupils aged 12 -13
2.2. Pupil has sufficient competency of the English language to be able to complete questionnaire
Exclusion criteria: 1. School:
1.1. Based outside the West Midlands
1.2. Primary school or sixth form college
1.3. No more than 4 grammar schools, 5 comprehensive schools, 2 independent schools to be involved in the intervention.
1.4. No more than 3 all girls schools, 3 all boys schools, or 6 mixed schools to be involved in the intervention.
2. Individual participant:
2.1. Pupils age 11, or 14 - 18
2.2. Pupil does not have sufficient competency of the English language to be able to complete questionnaire

Age minimum:
Age maximum:
Gender: Both

Health Condition(s) or Problem(s) studied

Mental Health
Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Mental Health

Intervention(s)

There are two study arms- contact and education, and education only. The methodology for each is the same. The only difference between the two groups is that pupils in the contact and education group are taught throughout the day by a young person who has experience living with mental illness, and this young person talks to the pupils about these experiences. In the education only condition, instead of this pupils receive a brief history of mental illness.

The intervention will last for one day in each school, and cover three interrelated subjects
1. Stigma of mental health issues
2. Mental health literacy
3. Improving our own mental health, including dealing with stress and anxiety, how thinking affects our behaviour and feelings, ways to cope with strong emotions, and the link between physical and mental health.

In the contact and education condition a young person with experience living with mental illness will work with the pupils as a teaching assistant and will also give a 10-20 minute talk about living with a mental illness to the pupils.

The intervention will be delivered by members of the research team, NHS staff, and current or past mental health service users. Training days and workshop notes will be provided for all individuals prior to their involvement in facilitating the interventions to ensure consistency and fidelity of implementation. The intervention will be delivered to classes of 20 ? 30 pupils (depending on the usual class size of the school).

There will be a pre-test (3-4 weeks prior to intervention), post test (1-2 weeks post intervention) and at six month follow up.

Primary Outcome(s)

1. Stigma of mental illness - Reported & Intended Behaviour Scale
2. Mental health literacy - Mental Health Knowledge Scale
3. Mental health/emotional well-being - The Strengths and Difficulties Scale

Outcomes will be measured pre-test, post-test, and at six month follow up

Secondary Outcome(s)

1. Resilience to mental illness - The Resilience Scale
2. Schizotypal thinking - The Schizotypal Personality-Brief Form
3. Attitudes to Help-seeking- ?In the next 12 months if you were to experience a mental illness, how likely are you to seek help? Definitely not/ Very unilikely/ A bit unlikely/ Not sure/ Likely/ Very likely/ Definitely?

Outcomes will be measured pre-test, post-test, and at six month follow up

Secondary ID(s)

2.3

Source(s) of Monetary Support

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (UK) - Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC)