Results
Title

Does Youth Net Decrease Mental Illness Stigma in High School Students?

Authors

O'Mara, Linda; Akhtar-Danesh, Noori; Browne, Gina; Mueller, Daina; Grypstra, Lorraine; Vrkljan, Cheryl; Powell, Malcolm

Abstract

This study examined whether stigma toward mental illness decreased for youth after participating in focus groups in a school-based mental health promotion program called Youth Net (YN FGs). A total of 294 students from 6 high schools participated in a randomized controlled trial, completing questionnaires that measured stigma and depression. Stigma decreased for participants in the intervention group in low-need schools only. Study findings suggest continuing with YN FGs in low-need schools and working collaboratively with community partners to provide evidence of the effectiveness of mental health promotion with youth.

Subjects

ONTARIO; HEALTH promotion; AGE distribution; ANALYSIS of covariance; CHI-squared test; FOCUS groups; HIGH school students; LONGITUDINAL method; EVALUATION of medical care; MEDICAL cooperation; MENTAL illness; NEEDS assessment; QUESTIONNAIRES; RESEARCH; RESEARCH funding; STATISTICS; SOCIAL stigma; STUDENT attitudes; T-test (Statistics); COMMUNITY support; AFFINITY groups; SOCIAL support; RANDOMIZED controlled trials; PRE-tests & post-tests; INTER-observer reliability; ATTITUDES toward mental illness; DESCRIPTIVE statistics

Publication

Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 2013, Vol 32, Issue 4, p9

ISSN

0713-3936

Publication type

Academic Journal

DOI

10.7870/cjcmh-2013-023