The Research Department for Health and Social Context, National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Front Public Health. 2024 Apr 17;12:1336736. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1336736. eCollection 2024.
A large proportion of young people reports poor mental health, which is a major public health concern. Positive mental health is important for young people's development, quality of life, functioning in everyday life, and long-term possibilities. Thus, there is a great need to develop and implement mental health-promoting initiatives and activities in young people's lives. Participating in organized leisure communities has a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing. However, more knowledge is still needed about and participating in organized leisure communities targeting young people can promote mental health. The aim of this study was to gain knowledge about the mental health-promoting potential of organized leisure communities for young people by exploring the that contribute to mental health promotion.
Given the complexity of the subject, this study implemented a realist review approach to explore the interaction between context, mechanism, and outcome. The study follows Pawsons' five key steps for conducting a realist review: (1) clarify scope, (2) search for evidence, (3) study selection criteria, and procedures, (4) data extraction, and (5) data synthesis and analysis. The literature was systematically searched in the four databases PsycINFO, Scopus, Embase, and SocIndex.
In the literature search, a total of 11,249 studies were identified, of which 52 studies met the inclusion criteria. Based on the 52 studies, seven different contexts i.e., types of organized leisure communities for young peoples were identified. Across the seven different types of organized leisure communities, five active ingredients that promoted the mental health of young people were identified: social connectedness, development of skills, development of self-confidence, pleasure-driven participation, and safety and trust.
This review contributes important knowledge about how to promote young people's mental health when participating in organized leisure communities. Moving forward, an important task consists of establishing and maintaining the five active ingredients in organized leisure communities through e.g., education and training that strengthens the skills and knowledge of those responsible for facilitating the leisure communities, such as sports coaches or music teachers, as these adults play a central role in supporting the active ingredients.
很大一部分年轻人报告称自己的心理健康状况不佳，这是一个主要的公共卫生关注点。积极的心理健康对年轻人的发展、生活质量、日常生活功能以及长期可能性都很重要。因此，非常有必要在年轻人的生活中制定和实施促进心理健康的举措和活动。参与有组织的休闲社区对心理健康和幸福感有积极影响。然而，我们仍然需要更多的知识，了解和参与针对年轻人的有组织的休闲社区如何能够促进心理健康。本研究的目的是通过探索促进心理健康的机制，了解有组织的休闲社区对年轻人的潜在的心理健康促进作用。
鉴于主题的复杂性，本研究采用现实主义审查方法来探索背景、机制和结果之间的相互作用。该研究遵循 Pawson 进行现实主义审查的五个关键步骤：（1）澄清范围，（2）搜索证据，（3）研究选择标准和程序，（4）数据提取，以及（5）数据综合与分析。文献在 PsycINFO、Scopus、Embase 和 SocIndex 这四个数据库中进行了系统检索。
在文献检索中，共确定了 11249 项研究，其中 52 项研究符合纳入标准。基于这 52 项研究，确定了七种不同的有组织的休闲社区类型。在这七种不同类型的有组织的休闲社区中，确定了促进年轻人心理健康的五个积极因素：社会联系、技能发展、自信发展、愉悦驱动的参与以及安全和信任。
本综述为如何在参与有组织的休闲社区时促进年轻人的心理健康提供了重要知识。下一步的重要任务是通过例如教育和培训来建立和维持有组织的休闲社区中的五个积极因素，这些教育和培训可以增强负责促进休闲社区的人员的技能和知识，例如体育教练或音乐教师，因为这些成年人在支持积极因素方面发挥着核心作用。
