Long-term impact of a mental health literacy resource applied by regular classroom teachers in a Canadian school cohort.

Publisher: Blackwell Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101142157 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 1475-357X (Print) Linking ISSN: 1475357X NLM ISO Abbreviation: Child Adolesc Ment Health Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: Oxford : Blackwell, c2002-

Health Literacy*/methods; Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adolescent ; Cohort Studies ; Canada ; Mental Health ; Schools

Application of evidence-based mental health literacy (MHL) curriculum resources by classroom teachers has been demonstrated to significantly improve knowledge and decrease stigma in the short term.
Aims: To report results that extend these positive findings for a period of one year.
Method: In a naturalistic cohort study, 332 grade 9 students (ages 14-15) in a Canadian school district learned from an evidence-based curriculum resource (the Guide) applied by classroom teachers who trained in its use. Evaluations of knowledge and stigma were conducted before the Guide, immediately following the Guide delivery and at one-year follow-up.
Results: Students showed significant (p < .001) and substantial (d = 0.68 and 0.67) short-term and significant (p < .001) and substantial (d = 0.44 and 0.58) long-term improvements in knowledge and reductions in stigma. Significant stigma reduction was found among female students than male students, but no gender differences on knowledge were found at long-term follow-up. Educators showed significant and substantial short-term improvements in knowledge (p < .001; d = 1.03) and reductions in stigma (p < .05; d = 0.35).
Conclusions: The Guide resource delivered by trained classroom teachers may have value in enhancing MHL outcomes for young people.
(© 2022 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.)

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Keywords: Adolescence; mental health; school; stigma

Date Created: 20220924 Date Completed: 20230804 Latest Revision: 20230804

20240513

10.1111/camh.12597

36151716