Naylor Paul B, Cowie Helen A, Walters Stephen J, Talamelli Lorenzo, Dawkins Judith
Health Services Research Section, School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, Sheffield S1 4DA, UK.
Br J Psychiatry. 2009 Apr;194(4):365-70. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.108.053058.
Child and adolescent mental health disorders are present in around 10% of the population. Research indicates that many young people possess negative attitudes towards mental health difficulties among peers.
To assess the impact of a mental health teaching programme on adolescent pupils' understanding.
Two-group pre-test-post-test control group study in two English secondary schools. Experimental classes (School E) received a six-lesson teaching intervention on mental health; control classes (School C) did not. Participants were 14- and 15-year-old pupils. The intervention consisted of six lessons on mental health issues common to young people: stress; depression; suicide/self-harm; eating disorders; being bullied; and intellectual disability. School C was given access to these lesson plans and materials on completion of the study. Understanding was measured at two time points, Time 1 (T(1)) and Time 2 (T(2)), 8 months apart, by a Mental Health Questionnaire. Behavioural, emotional and relationship strengths and difficulties were measured by the self-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) with five subscales: hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, peer problems and prosocial behaviour.
At T(2), pupils in School E compared with those in School C showed significantly more sensitivity and empathy towards people with mental health difficulties. They also used significantly fewer pejorative expressions to describe mental health difficulties. There was a significant reduction in SDQ scores on conduct problems and a significant increase on prosocial behaviour among School E pupils compared with controls. Pupils valued the intervention highly, in particular the lessons on suicide/self-harm.
Teaching 14- and 15-year-olds about mental health difficulties helps to reduce stigma by increasing knowledge and promoting positive attitudes. The intervention also reduced self-reported conduct problems and increased prosocial behaviour. Generally, participating pupils were positive about the importance of lessons on mental health, and said that they had learnt much about the lesson topics.
儿童和青少年心理健康障碍在约10%的人口中存在。研究表明，许多年轻人对同龄人中的心理健康问题持有消极态度。
评估心理健康教学计划对青少年学生理解的影响。
在两所英国中学进行两组前后测对照组研究。实验班（学校E）接受了为期六节课的心理健康教学干预；对照班（学校C）未接受。参与者为14岁和15岁的学生。干预包括关于年轻人常见心理健康问题的六节课：压力；抑郁；自杀/自我伤害；饮食失调；受欺凌；以及智力残疾。研究结束后，学校C获得了这些教案和材料。通过心理健康问卷在两个时间点，即相隔8个月的时间1（T(1)）和时间2（T(2)）测量理解情况。通过自评优势和困难问卷（SDQ）测量行为、情绪和人际关系方面的优势和困难，该问卷有五个子量表：多动、情绪症状、品行问题、同伴问题和亲社会行为。
在T(2)时，与学校C的学生相比，学校E的学生对有心理健康问题的人表现出明显更多的敏感和同理心。他们在描述心理健康问题时使用的贬义词也明显更少。与对照组相比，学校E的学生在品行问题上的SDQ得分显著降低，亲社会行为得分显著增加。学生们对干预评价很高，特别是关于自杀/自我伤害的课程。
向14岁和15岁的青少年讲授心理健康问题有助于通过增加知识和促进积极态度来减少污名化。该干预还减少了自我报告的品行问题，增加了亲社会行为。总体而言，参与的学生对心理健康课程的重要性持积极态度，并表示他们从课程主题中学到了很多。
