Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Nußbaumstr. 5a, 80336, Munich, Germany,
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2014 Jan;49(1):51-8. doi: 10.1007/s00127-013-0706-y. Epub 2013 Aug 2.
This study evaluates a newly developed information booklet about depression among adolescents. The aim was to examine the enhancement of knowledge through the booklet with the objective of reducing stigma and facilitating awareness of own treatment needs.
628 German ninth graders were enrolled in a pre-post-follow-up study using study-specific questionnaires to investigate knowledge enhancement in seven depression-related topics. Exploratively, knowledge enhancement was calculated with respect to education level and gender. Additionally, the students assessed the booklet's layout, content and utility. Knowledge enhancement was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA for index values of the booklet's topics. The effect size partial eta square (η²) was computed.
The pre-post-follow-up comparison yielded significant knowledge enhancement for all seven index values (p < 0.001). The associated effect sizes were medium to large. The strongest effects were achieved for the categories "Antidepressants" (η² = 0.56), "Symptoms" (η² = 0.45) and "Treatment" (η² = 0.17) of depression as well as for "Suicidality" (η² = 0.36). Although baseline knowledge was high in all students, knowledge enhancement was greater in better educated than in less educated students. Overall assessment of the booklet was good (mean = 2.15 on a rating scale from "very good" (1) to "fail" (6)).
The information booklet as a low-threshold educational approach can significantly enhance depression-specific knowledge in students. Hence, it helps adolescents to acknowledge their own symptoms and treatment needs as well as to recognize these specific mental health problems in their peers. Thus, the booklet can contribute to the reduction of stigma and treatment barriers in adolescents.
本研究评估了一本新开发的关于青少年抑郁症的信息手册。目的是通过该手册来检验知识的提升，从而减少污名化，提高对自身治疗需求的认识。
628 名德国九年级学生参与了一项前后测随访研究，使用特定于研究的问卷来调查七个与抑郁相关主题的知识增强情况。探索性地，根据教育水平和性别计算知识增强情况。此外，学生们还评估了手册的布局、内容和实用性。使用重复测量方差分析（ANOVA）分析手册主题的指标值，以分析知识增强情况。计算了偏 eta 平方（η²）的效应量。
前后测随访比较显示，所有七个指数值都有显著的知识增强（p < 0.001）。相关的效应大小为中等至较大。最强的效果是在抑郁的“抗抑郁药”（η² = 0.56）、“症状”（η² = 0.45）和“治疗”（η² = 0.17）以及“自杀倾向”（η² = 0.36）类别中获得。尽管所有学生的基线知识都很高，但受过更好教育的学生比受教育程度较低的学生的知识增强程度更大。对手册的整体评估较好（评分范围为“非常好”（1）至“失败”（6），平均值为 2.15）。
作为一种低门槛的教育方法，信息手册可以显著提高学生对特定于抑郁的知识。因此，它有助于青少年认识到自己的症状和治疗需求，以及识别同龄人的这些特定心理健康问题。因此，该手册可以有助于减少青少年的污名化和治疗障碍。
