The Effectiveness of Ensa - Mental Health First Aid Training on Knowledge and Mental Health of Undergraduate Students in Switzerland: a Randomised Control Trial.
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Preventative Medicine
- Sponsor
- Institut et Haute Ecole de la Santé la Source
- Enrollment
- 107
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Level of attitudes pertaining to mental illness (changes were assessed at 3 and 12 months)
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 2 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an educational training program which has been proven effective at increasing knowledge, improving attitudes and reducing the stigma of mental illness among individuals/the general population. Although MHFA has proven effective world-wide, no study has examined the effectiveness of MHFA in Switzerland and very few studies have examined the long-term effects of MHFA and how they might be influenced by cultural differences. This study is a randomized control trial (RCT) that examines the effectiveness of a 12-hour MHFA training program that aims to improve undergraduate students' knowledge of, behaviours towards mental illness and to reduce stigmatization towards mental illness. All participants were 2nd-year students and they were randomly assigned either to an intervention group that would receive the MHFA training course or to a control group without any intervention during the study period. However, the control group had the option to receive the MHFA course after the 12 months of study follow-up was completed. Both groups were assessed at three time points: T0: Baseline survey from mid-September to October 2019, completed by both groups.
Intervention: MHFA training program from October 2019-December 2019. T1: Post-intervention with first follow-up survey three months after the MHFA training intervention completed by both groups (from March to May 2020). T2: Follow-up 12 months after the MHFA/ensa training intervention in December 2020 and completed by both groups.
Investigators
Meichun Mohler-Kuo, Sc.D
Sc.D. Professeur Ordinaire HES-SO
Institut et Haute Ecole de la Santé la Source
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •2nd year undergraduate students from universities of applied science in Lausanne and Yverdon-les-Bains.
- •≥18 years old.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Working and part-time students.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Level of attitudes pertaining to mental illness (changes were assessed at 3 and 12 months)
Time Frame: 3 months; 12 months
to measure changes of participants' level of stigmatization and social distance toward mental illness. Changes of before and after the intervention are also assessed.
behaviors toward mental illness (changes are assessed at 3 and 12 months))
Time Frame: 3 months; 12 months
to measure participants' confidence and intention to provide help and the changes before and after the MHFA are also assessed.
Level of knowledge-(changes were assessed at 3 and 12 months)
Time Frame: 3 months; 12 months
to measure participants' ability to identify a mental health problem and answer questions based on the content of the MHFA course. Changes of knowledge level before and after the MHFA intervention are also assessed.
Secondary Outcomes
- mental health-quality of life (changes were assessed assessed at 3 and 12 months)(3 months; 12 months)
- mental health-depression (changes were assessed at 3 and 12 months)(3 months; 12 months)
- change of mental health-anxiety(3 months; 12 months)
- change of mental health-ADHD symptoms(3 months; 12 months)