Extrait

Background and study aims There is growing pressure on schools to address the emotional well-being and mental health of needs of their students as the majority of mental illnesses will have their beginnings in childhood and adolescence. Though a number of interventions have been conducted with the intention to address mental health literacy, stigma of mental illness, or emotional health in schools, an inconsistency of reporting standards and methodologies have led many systematic reviews to claim that more rigorous research is needed . The study aims to develop and test a secondary school-based educational intervention to target stigma of mental illness, mental health literacy, and emotional health, utilising contact with young people with experience of living with mental illness as a way to engage with students. Who can participate? The project is currently running in secondary schools in the West Midlands. Classes are led by members of Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust, as well as voluntary teaching assistants including current and ex-service users of the Trust. What does the study involve? The project aims to teach classes of 12-13 year olds in Birmingham secondary schools about mental health, including common misconceptions of mental illness and the importance of looking after your own mental health. Young people aged between 18 -35 who have experienced mental illness themselves support the facilitation of the classes and talk to the pupils about their own experiences (usually for approximately 10 - 20 minutes) which has proven to be a very powerful way to combat stigma. Students are randomly allocated to one of two groups: The contact and education group is taught throughout the day by a young person who has experience of living with mental illness. The education only group received a brief history of mental illness. What are the possible benefits and risks of participating? No risks associated with this study Where is the study run from? The intervention days take part within secondary schools in the West Midlands When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for? The study started in March 2011 and is expected to end in January 2012, with a follow up data collection period extending to June 2012. Who is funding the study? Funded by the National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (NIHR CLAHRC); Birmingham and Black Country. Who is the main contact? Katharine Chisholm [email protected]

Critère d'inclusion

• Mental Health

Liens

• ictrp
• isrctn