Pub Date : 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200469
Nicola M Ludin , Annabelle E Prescott , Ariadna Martínez-García , Sarah Bodmer , Kiani Stevenson , Natasha Allen , Vartika Sharma , Naomi Davies , Sarah A Hopkins , Karolina Stasiak , Tania Cargo , Sarah E Hetrick
Background
: Headstrong is a free, evidence-based digital tool designed to support mental well-being among Indigenous youth (Rangatahi Māori) and other young people in Aotearoa New Zealand. Delivered through brief, chat-like sessions, the app offers a bicultural and bilingual experience that aligns with youth preferences and cultural contexts.
Objectives
: This study applied a co-design methodology to ensure that youth realities and perspectives informed mental health prevention strategies. Through a series of participatory workshops, young people collaborated to develop a social media advertising campaign aimed at increasing engagement with Headstrong.
Methods
: Youth participants engaged in structured co-design workshops to explore barriers and facilitators to app engagement. Their input guided the creation of campaign content and format.
Results
: The thematic analysis of data from the workshops revealed that youth valued advertisements that reflected cultural diversity, affirmed individuality, conveyed a clear and direct message, were concise, and authentically represented the app interface. Participants proposed short-form videos to demonstrate real-world use of Headstrong, resulting in the “Highlighting Headstrong” campaign.
Conclusion
: The co-design process enabled the development of a culturally resonant and youth-driven campaign that enhanced engagement with the Headstrong app. These findings underscore the importance of participatory design in the relevance and effectiveness of digital mental health prevention strategies for young people.
{"title":"Co-designed social media advertising for Headstrong: an app to help young people build resilience and a healthy outlook on life","authors":"Nicola M Ludin , Annabelle E Prescott , Ariadna Martínez-García , Sarah Bodmer , Kiani Stevenson , Natasha Allen , Vartika Sharma , Naomi Davies , Sarah A Hopkins , Karolina Stasiak , Tania Cargo , Sarah E Hetrick","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200469","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200469","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div><em>:</em> Headstrong is a free, evidence-based digital tool designed to support mental well-being among Indigenous youth (Rangatahi Māori) and other young people in Aotearoa New Zealand. Delivered through brief, chat-like sessions, the app offers a bicultural and bilingual experience that aligns with youth preferences and cultural contexts.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div><em>:</em> This study applied a co-design methodology to ensure that youth realities and perspectives informed mental health prevention strategies. Through a series of participatory workshops, young people collaborated to develop a social media advertising campaign aimed at increasing engagement with Headstrong.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div><em>:</em> Youth participants engaged in structured co-design workshops to explore barriers and facilitators to app engagement. Their input guided the creation of campaign content and format.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div><em>:</em> The thematic analysis of data from the workshops revealed that youth valued advertisements that reflected cultural diversity, affirmed individuality, conveyed a clear and direct message, were concise, and authentically represented the app interface. Participants proposed short-form videos to demonstrate real-world use of Headstrong, resulting in the “Highlighting Headstrong” campaign.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div><em>:</em> The co-design process enabled the development of a culturally resonant and youth-driven campaign that enhanced engagement with the Headstrong app. These findings underscore the importance of participatory design in the relevance and effectiveness of digital mental health prevention strategies for young people.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 200469"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145791782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200471
Alison Knapp , Tracy Burrows , Sjaan Gomersall , Felipe Schuch , Megan Teychenne , Susan Jane Torres , Adrienne O’Neil , Louise M. Farrer , Rhiannon L White , Simon Rosenbaum , Debora Tornquist , Aline J Waclawovsky , Lucy Leigh , Melinda Hutchesson
Background
Entering university marks a pivotal developmental transition, marked by increasing independence. However, it is also associated with heightened mental ill-health, with 85 % of first-year students in this study screening positive for symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both. Understanding social determinants of mental health is essential for guiding interventions and policy, although knowledge gaps remain for this population.
Objective
This study examined associations between social determinants (sex, gender, sexual orientation, employment, living situation, ethnicity, and First Nations) and mental health outcomes (positive screen for symptoms of anxiety only, depression only, both or neither, and anxiety [Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7)] and depression [Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)] symptom severity).
Methods
The UNIversity student’s LIFEstyle and Mental Health Study (UNILIFE-M) is an international cohort study conducted across 84 universities in 27 countries. This secondary cross-sectional analysis used baseline Australian data collected in 2023/2024 from 974 first-year students (aged 18–35 years) at six Australian universities.
Results
Sixty percent of participants screened positive for both depression and anxiety symptoms, 17 % for anxiety symptoms only and 9 % for depression symptoms only. Among GAD-7 responders, 28 % had moderate and 22 % had severe anxiety severity. Among PHQ-9 completers, 20 % had moderately severe and 13 % severe depression severity. Higher odds of greater anxiety and depression severity were observed among female, First Nations, and sexually and ethnically diverse students.
Conclusion
Findings can be used to support universities, policy makers and the mental health sector in implementing both preventative and treatment interventions and policies to address the needs of at-risk students.
{"title":"Social determinants of depression and anxiety symptoms in undergraduate university students in Australia; Findings from The UNIversity student’s LIFEstyle and Mental Health Study (UNILIFE-M)","authors":"Alison Knapp , Tracy Burrows , Sjaan Gomersall , Felipe Schuch , Megan Teychenne , Susan Jane Torres , Adrienne O’Neil , Louise M. Farrer , Rhiannon L White , Simon Rosenbaum , Debora Tornquist , Aline J Waclawovsky , Lucy Leigh , Melinda Hutchesson","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200471","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200471","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Entering university marks a pivotal developmental transition, marked by increasing independence. However, it is also associated with heightened mental ill-health, with 85 % of first-year students in this study screening positive for symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both. Understanding social determinants of mental health is essential for guiding interventions and policy, although knowledge gaps remain for this population.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study examined associations between social determinants (sex, gender, sexual orientation, employment, living situation, ethnicity, and First Nations) and mental health outcomes (positive screen for symptoms of anxiety only, depression only, both or neither, and anxiety [Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7)] and depression [Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)] symptom severity).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The UNIversity student’s LIFEstyle and Mental Health Study (UNILIFE-M) is an international cohort study conducted across 84 universities in 27 countries. This secondary cross-sectional analysis used baseline Australian data collected in 2023/2024 from 974 first-year students (aged 18–35 years) at six Australian universities.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Sixty percent of participants screened positive for both depression and anxiety symptoms, 17 % for anxiety symptoms only and 9 % for depression symptoms only. Among GAD-7 responders, 28 % had moderate and 22 % had severe anxiety severity. Among PHQ-9 completers, 20 % had moderately severe and 13 % severe depression severity. Higher odds of greater anxiety and depression severity were observed among female, First Nations, and sexually and ethnically diverse students.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Findings can be used to support universities, policy makers and the mental health sector in implementing both preventative and treatment interventions and policies to address the needs of at-risk students.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 200471"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145791783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200468
Brett Harris , Katie Gallant , Elizabeth Flanagan , Zahira Correa , Sofia Amezcua , Leah Wentworth
Background
Mental health is a significant public health concern among young people, but many do not receive the care they need. Peer-led mental health clubs can help address a gap in services by promoting mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and providing informal support. This study is a pilot evaluation of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) program NAMI on Campus (NOC), a peer-led high school and college mental health awareness program.
Method
Between December 2024 and April 2025, we conducted focus groups with faculty advisors (n=17) and a survey with high school and college students participating in NOC (n=106) as part of a sequential mixed-methods evaluation. We conducted rapid thematic analysis of the focus group findings and generated descriptive statistics for the survey results.
Results
Our survey found that students typically chose to participate in NOC because they wanted to become more involved on campus (69.8%), were interested in the field of mental health (65.1%), or had personal experience with mental health conditions (55.7%). In addition, our survey identified perceived improvements in school culture based on student experience with NOC, including increased mental health awareness (89.6%), likelihood of encouraging others to seek help (87.7%), knowledge of resources (84.9%), and advocacy opportunities (81.1%). Our survey and focus groups identified both facilitators and barriers to NOC success.
Conclusion
Findings suggest that NOC may promote mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and increase sense of belonging among those who participate, underscoring the importance of peer-led programs in supporting mental health among young people.
心理健康是年轻人中一个重要的公共卫生问题，但许多人没有得到他们需要的照顾。以同伴为主导的心理健康俱乐部可以通过提高心理健康意识、减少耻辱感和提供非正式支持，帮助解决服务方面的差距。本研究是对全国精神疾病联盟（NAMI）校园精神疾病联盟（NAMI on Campus， NOC）的试点评估，NAMI on Campus是一项由同伴主导的高中和大学心理健康意识项目。方法在2024年12月至2025年4月期间，我们与教师顾问（n=17）进行了焦点小组讨论，并对参加NOC的高中生和大学生（n=106）进行了调查，作为顺序混合方法评估的一部分。我们对焦点小组的调查结果进行了快速的专题分析，并对调查结果进行了描述性统计。结果调查发现，学生选择参加NOC的主要原因是希望更多地参与校园活动（69.8%），对心理健康领域感兴趣（65.1%），或有心理健康问题的个人经历（55.7%）。此外，我们的调查确定了基于学生NOC经验的学校文化的感知改善，包括提高心理健康意识（89.6%），鼓励他人寻求帮助的可能性（87.7%），资源知识（84.9%）和倡导机会（81.1%）。我们的调查和焦点小组确定了NOC成功的促进因素和障碍。结论NOC可以提高参与者的心理健康意识，减少耻辱感，增强归属感，强调同伴主导的项目在支持青少年心理健康方面的重要性。
{"title":"National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on Campus evaluation: Facilitators, barriers, and impact of a peer-led mental health program","authors":"Brett Harris , Katie Gallant , Elizabeth Flanagan , Zahira Correa , Sofia Amezcua , Leah Wentworth","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200468","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200468","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Mental health is a significant public health concern among young people, but many do not receive the care they need. Peer-led mental health clubs can help address a gap in services by promoting mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and providing informal support. This study is a pilot evaluation of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) program NAMI on Campus (NOC), a peer-led high school and college mental health awareness program.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Between December 2024 and April 2025, we conducted focus groups with faculty advisors (n=17) and a survey with high school and college students participating in NOC (n=106) as part of a sequential mixed-methods evaluation. We conducted rapid thematic analysis of the focus group findings and generated descriptive statistics for the survey results.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Our survey found that students typically chose to participate in NOC because they wanted to become more involved on campus (69.8%), were interested in the field of mental health (65.1%), or had personal experience with mental health conditions (55.7%). In addition, our survey identified perceived improvements in school culture based on student experience with NOC, including increased mental health awareness (89.6%), likelihood of encouraging others to seek help (87.7%), knowledge of resources (84.9%), and advocacy opportunities (81.1%). Our survey and focus groups identified both facilitators and barriers to NOC success.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Findings suggest that NOC may promote mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and increase sense of belonging among those who participate, underscoring the importance of peer-led programs in supporting mental health among young people.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 200468"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145712290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200464
Lisa Catanzaro , Francesco Bubbico , Teresa Fazia , Andrea Moi , Marco Guicciardi , Luisa Bernardinelli
Objective
The Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) is a digital assessment that measures both positive aspects of mental functioning and clinical symptoms. Originally developed in English, it supports prevention and early risk detection across 70+ countries. Although it has been translated into 17 languages, it had not yet been validated in Italian. This study aimed to translate and validate the MHQ for use with Italian-speaking young adults by assessing reliability and examining associations with six established measures of mental health and well-being.
Methods
The MHQ was translated into Italian using the forward-backward method. Reliability was evaluated through internal consistency,sample-to-sample stability and test-retest reliability . Validity analyses included construct and convergent validity, along with comparisons of functional life impact and individuals’ symptomatic experiences.
Results
The Italian MHQ demonstrated strong sample-to-sample consistency and high test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.85), with excellent internal consistency (α = 0.94). Item-level correlations further supported cross-cultural reliability. MHQ scores showed strong positive correlations with measures of well-being and functioning (r = 0.61) and resilience (r = 0.59), and strong negative correlations with depression (r =−0.77), anxiety (r = −0.76), and mind wandering (r = −0.46). MHQ scores decreased systematically with increasing clinical symptoms and diagnosed disorders, confirming sensitivity to clinical burden.
Conclusion
These findings support the MHQ as a reliable and valid novel algorithm for assessing mental well-being in Italian-speaking young adults. By combining personalized insight with population-level assessment, the MHQ promotes a disorder-agnostic approach focused on well-being and demonstrates cross-cultural applicability in the context of digital and precision mental health.
{"title":"Assessing well-being with the mental health quotient: Validation using six psychometric instruments in Italian young adults","authors":"Lisa Catanzaro , Francesco Bubbico , Teresa Fazia , Andrea Moi , Marco Guicciardi , Luisa Bernardinelli","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200464","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200464","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) is a digital assessment that measures both positive aspects of mental functioning and clinical symptoms. Originally developed in English, it supports prevention and early risk detection across 70+ countries. Although it has been translated into 17 languages, it had not yet been validated in Italian. This study aimed to translate and validate the MHQ for use with Italian-speaking young adults by assessing reliability and examining associations with six established measures of mental health and well-being.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The MHQ was translated into Italian using the forward-backward method. Reliability was evaluated through internal consistency,sample-to-sample stability and test-retest reliability . Validity analyses included construct and convergent validity, along with comparisons of functional life impact and individuals’ symptomatic experiences.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The Italian MHQ demonstrated strong sample-to-sample consistency and high test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.85), with excellent internal consistency (α = 0.94). Item-level correlations further supported cross-cultural reliability. MHQ scores showed strong positive correlations with measures of well-being and functioning (<em>r</em> = 0.61) and resilience (<em>r</em> = 0.59), and strong negative correlations with depression (<em>r</em> =−0.77), anxiety (<em>r</em> = −0.76), and mind wandering (<em>r</em> = −0.46). MHQ scores decreased systematically with increasing clinical symptoms and diagnosed disorders, confirming sensitivity to clinical burden.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>These findings support the MHQ as a reliable and valid novel algorithm for assessing mental well-being in Italian-speaking young adults. By combining personalized insight with population-level assessment, the MHQ promotes a disorder-agnostic approach focused on well-being and demonstrates cross-cultural applicability in the context of digital and precision mental health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 200464"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145693144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-27DOI: 10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200467
Julia Sze-Wing Wong , Helen Yue-Lai Chan , Iris Fung-Kam Lee , Mark Cheuk-Man Tsang , Stephanie Wai-Shun Wong , Meyrick Chum-Ming Chow
Aim
Resilience is the ability to adapt well to adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress, and it can be learned and developed in anyone. The psychological, social, and mental health of Hong Kong youths has been substantially adversely affected by protests that arose in 2019–2020 and the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2022. Nursing students must cope with academic stress and must often overcome unexpected adversity during clinical placements and in transitioning from a student to a registered nurse in their final year of study. Therefore, this study aims to introduce a nurse-led stress management and resilience training (SMART) programme for final-year nursing undergraduates and examine the effectiveness of the programme in improving the students’ resilience and mental health outcomes.
Methods
The proposed project will involve a randomised wait-list-controlled trial. Four hundred final-year nursing undergraduates will be randomly assigned to a wait-list control or intervention group. They will be required to attend three 2.5-hour face-to-face training sessions delivered biweekly. The SMART programme will be delivered by an experienced team, comprising an experienced nurse educator and a certified counsellor. The levels of resilience, stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms of both groups will be measured using the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale 10 and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 at four time points.
Results
The results of the proposed project will be shared after the completion of the study.
Conclusion
This study will evaluate the effectiveness of the SMART programme among nursing undergraduates.
{"title":"Registered Report Stage I: Effects of a nurse-led stress management and resilience training programme for nursing undergraduates: A study protocol for a randomised wait-list controlled trial","authors":"Julia Sze-Wing Wong , Helen Yue-Lai Chan , Iris Fung-Kam Lee , Mark Cheuk-Man Tsang , Stephanie Wai-Shun Wong , Meyrick Chum-Ming Chow","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200467","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200467","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Aim</h3><div>Resilience is the ability to adapt well to adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress, and it can be learned and developed in anyone. The psychological, social, and mental health of Hong Kong youths has been substantially adversely affected by protests that arose in 2019–2020 and the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2022. Nursing students must cope with academic stress and must often overcome unexpected adversity during clinical placements and in transitioning from a student to a registered nurse in their final year of study. Therefore, this study aims to introduce a nurse-led stress management and resilience training (SMART) programme for final-year nursing undergraduates and examine the effectiveness of the programme in improving the students’ resilience and mental health outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The proposed project will involve a randomised wait-list-controlled trial. Four hundred final-year nursing undergraduates will be randomly assigned to a wait-list control or intervention group. They will be required to attend three 2.5-hour face-to-face training sessions delivered biweekly. The SMART programme will be delivered by an experienced team, comprising an experienced nurse educator and a certified counsellor. The levels of resilience, stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms of both groups will be measured using the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale 10 and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 at four time points.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results of the proposed project will be shared after the completion of the study.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study will evaluate the effectiveness of the SMART programme among nursing undergraduates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 200467"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145712289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-10DOI: 10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200465
Lakshmi Neelakantan , Nina Logan , Monika Raniti , Amy Morgan , Michelle H. Lim , Nicola Reavley
Objective
The Live4Life model, developed by Youth Live4Life Ltd, is a mental health promotion and suicide prevention program for adolescents in rural and regional Australian communities. It involves the delivery of Mental Health First Aid education, youth leadership and mental health advocacy, with mentorship and implementation tailored to individual communities. Few studies have examined the impact of place-based programs to improve adolescent mental health and wellbeing in regional settings. This paper presents baseline findings from the Live4Life co-evaluation, describing cohort demographics and initial mental health indicators to inform future longitudinal analyses and address evidence gaps in regional prevention efforts.
Methods
A naturalistic longitudinal cohort study with three survey waves of adolescents aged 13–15 years (Year 8, T1; Year 9–10, T2 and T3) capturing mental health, wellbeing, social connection, and help-seeking outcomes across five regional Victorian communities in Australia.
Results
The baseline cohort [n = 1767; mean age 12.9 years (SD 0.46)] was demographically comparable to adolescents in inner regional Victoria. In adjusted, cluster-robust models controlling for language and family structure, female and non-binary adolescents had significantly higher depression and anxiety scores and lower positive mental health than males (all p < 0.001). Gender differences were smaller but still evident for loneliness and community connection. Adolescents from two-parent families reported slightly better wellbeing and lower depression and anxiety scores than those from other family structures.
Conclusion
Baseline findings from this study, part of the larger Live4Life co-evaluation, provide a foundation for understanding how whole-of-community mental health promotion can influence adolescent wellbeing in regional communities.
{"title":"Baseline findings from Study 1 of a longitudinal co-evaluation of the Live4Life adolescent mental health promotion model in regional Victoria, Australia","authors":"Lakshmi Neelakantan , Nina Logan , Monika Raniti , Amy Morgan , Michelle H. Lim , Nicola Reavley","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200465","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200465","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The Live4Life model, developed by Youth Live4Life Ltd, is a mental health promotion and suicide prevention program for adolescents in rural and regional Australian communities. It involves the delivery of Mental Health First Aid education, youth leadership and mental health advocacy, with mentorship and implementation tailored to individual communities. Few studies have examined the impact of place-based programs to improve adolescent mental health and wellbeing in regional settings. This paper presents baseline findings from the Live4Life co-evaluation, describing cohort demographics and initial mental health indicators to inform future longitudinal analyses and address evidence gaps in regional prevention efforts.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A naturalistic longitudinal cohort study with three survey waves of adolescents aged 13–15 years (Year 8, T1; Year 9–10, T2 and T3) capturing mental health, wellbeing, social connection, and help-seeking outcomes across five regional Victorian communities in Australia.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The baseline cohort [<em>n</em> = 1767; mean age 12.9 years (SD 0.46)] was demographically comparable to adolescents in inner regional Victoria. In adjusted, cluster-robust models controlling for language and family structure, female and non-binary adolescents had significantly higher depression and anxiety scores and lower positive mental health than males (all <em>p</em> < 0.001). Gender differences were smaller but still evident for loneliness and community connection. Adolescents from two-parent families reported slightly better wellbeing and lower depression and anxiety scores than those from other family structures.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Baseline findings from this study, part of the larger Live4Life co-evaluation, provide a foundation for understanding how whole-of-community mental health promotion can influence adolescent wellbeing in regional communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 200465"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145578673","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-09DOI: 10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200466
Elizabeth Toledo, Jason Skues, Roswitha Blasche, Jessica Sharp
Objective
Mental health literacy (MHL) research in young people has expanded significantly, demonstrating its importance for prevention and early intervention. However, MHL research has primarily focused on school contexts, overlooking young people who may be disengaged from school, many of whom face heightened risk and structural disadvantage. This narrow focus creates a critical gap in understanding MHL across diverse cohorts of young people, some of whom may need MHL interventions but remain underrepresented in current research.
Method
This scoping review mapped the scope and characteristics of empirical research on MHL in young people beyond school-exclusive contexts to identify where, how, and with whom MHL has been studied outside school contexts. A comprehensive search of seven electronic databases and hand searching identified 31 empirical studies for inclusion.
Results
Several studies examined MHL among young people in non-school contexts and recruited young people from diverse settings. MHL levels and intervention outcomes varied across these contexts. Findings also highlighted a preference for informal support and the potential of digital tools to enhance MHL. While school-based research continues to dominate the field, these studies indicate progress toward broader inclusion of diverse cohorts of young people. Nevertheless, recruitment methods often relied heavily on gatekeepers, and several vulnerable cohorts remain underrepresented in existing research.
Conclusion
The review underscores the critical need for inclusive, context-sensitive, and equity-driven approaches to investigating MHL among young people. Future research should prioritise participatory methods and diverse settings beyond school context to ensure MHL initiatives effectively reach and support all young people.
{"title":"A scoping review of mental health literacy research in young people beyond the school context","authors":"Elizabeth Toledo, Jason Skues, Roswitha Blasche, Jessica Sharp","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200466","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200466","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Mental health literacy (MHL) research in young people has expanded significantly, demonstrating its importance for prevention and early intervention. However, MHL research has primarily focused on school contexts, overlooking young people who may be disengaged from school, many of whom face heightened risk and structural disadvantage. This narrow focus creates a critical gap in understanding MHL across diverse cohorts of young people, some of whom may need MHL interventions but remain underrepresented in current research.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>This scoping review mapped the scope and characteristics of empirical research on MHL in young people beyond school-exclusive contexts to identify where, how, and with whom MHL has been studied outside school contexts. A comprehensive search of seven electronic databases and hand searching identified 31 empirical studies for inclusion.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Several studies examined MHL among young people in non-school contexts and recruited young people from diverse settings. MHL levels and intervention outcomes varied across these contexts. Findings also highlighted a preference for informal support and the potential of digital tools to enhance MHL. While school-based research continues to dominate the field, these studies indicate progress toward broader inclusion of diverse cohorts of young people. Nevertheless, recruitment methods often relied heavily on gatekeepers, and several vulnerable cohorts remain underrepresented in existing research.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The review underscores the critical need for inclusive, context-sensitive, and equity-driven approaches to investigating MHL among young people. Future research should prioritise participatory methods and diverse settings beyond school context to ensure MHL initiatives effectively reach and support all young people.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 200466"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145527746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-24DOI: 10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200463
Eriyanto (Associate Professor)
Objective
This study evaluates the effectiveness of adopting the World Health Organization (WHO) suicide reporting guidelines in Indonesian online media. Although the guidelines were officially adopted by the Indonesian Press Council in 2019, little is known about the extent of their implementation in everyday journalistic practice.
Methods
A quantitative content analysis was conducted on 2375 suicide-related news articles published by four of the largest Indonesian online media outlets between 2015 and 2024, retrieved via Google News. The analysis was carried out in two stages. First, descriptive statistics were used to assess compliance with the “Do’s” and violations of the “Don’ts.” Second, joinpoint regression analysis was employed to examine whether significant trend shifts occurred across the study period.
Results
Findings indicate that Indonesian online media tend to demonstrate only surface-level compliance. Formal practices such as including counseling hotline numbers or stating that suicide is preventable were adopted. However, widespread violations of the “Don’ts” persisted, including disclosure of victims’ identities, detailed descriptions of suicide methods and locations, and the use of sensational language.
Conclusion
The novelty of this study lies in its longitudinal design, which allows a comparison of reporting patterns before and after the adoption of the WHO guidelines. The results suggest that adoption of the guidelines in Indonesia has not yet translated into substantive ethical change in reporting culture. Stronger newsroom integration of guidelines (e.g., style sheets, templates), targeted journalist training, and periodic monitoring are needed to move beyond symbolic compliance toward meaningful implementation.
{"title":"Do reporting guidelines improve the quality of suicide coverage?: A case study of Indonesia","authors":"Eriyanto (Associate Professor)","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200463","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200463","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study evaluates the effectiveness of adopting the World Health Organization (WHO) suicide reporting guidelines in Indonesian online media. Although the guidelines were officially adopted by the Indonesian Press Council in 2019, little is known about the extent of their implementation in everyday journalistic practice.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A quantitative content analysis was conducted on 2375 suicide-related news articles published by four of the largest Indonesian online media outlets between 2015 and 2024, retrieved via Google News. The analysis was carried out in two stages. First, descriptive statistics were used to assess compliance with the “Do’s” and violations of the “Don’ts.” Second, joinpoint regression analysis was employed to examine whether significant trend shifts occurred across the study period.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Findings indicate that Indonesian online media tend to demonstrate only surface-level compliance. Formal practices such as including counseling hotline numbers or stating that suicide is preventable were adopted. However, widespread violations of the “Don’ts” persisted, including disclosure of victims’ identities, detailed descriptions of suicide methods and locations, and the use of sensational language.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The novelty of this study lies in its longitudinal design, which allows a comparison of reporting patterns before and after the adoption of the WHO guidelines. The results suggest that adoption of the guidelines in Indonesia has not yet translated into substantive ethical change in reporting culture. Stronger newsroom integration of guidelines (e.g., style sheets, templates), targeted journalist training, and periodic monitoring are needed to move beyond symbolic compliance toward meaningful implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 200463"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145415863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-17DOI: 10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200462
A Roca-Lecumberri , N Fernández-Jarabo , S Albero , L Lucas , J Pelegrí , B Albillos , MJ Cid , A Torres-Giménez , E Solé , S Andrés , C Martínez-Bueno , L Garcia-Esteve , S Subirà , E Gelabert
Introduction
Perinatal mental health problems affect women during pregnancy and up to 1 year postpartum, affecting up to 1 in 5 women in high-income countries. The impact of perinatal anxiety and depression is well established not only on maternal health but also on children development. Therefore, the implementation of effective preventive measures in community services with universal access should be a priority for health care providers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a gender-based psychoeducational intervention for first-time mothers and their partners to reduce the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders in the postpartum period.
Process
We will study women receiving usual care plus a psychoeducational intervention and a control group receiving only usual care only. The sample will be recruited from a convenience sample of primiparous mothers within 2 weeks of childbirth attending antenatal care at community centers. We will recruit 400 women who agree to participate part in the study and will randomly assign them to receive usual care with or without the psychoeducational intervention (2 sessions: About Babies and About Parents) conducted by trained midwives. The entire sample will be assessed for perinatal mental health disorders at 3 and 6 months postpartum.
Outcomes
We expect: 1) to prevent and reduce the prevalence of postpartum mental illness, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in new mothers; 2) to improve relationships with partners and babies, as well as perceptions of self-efficacy in caring for the baby; and 3) good acceptability and accessibility of the intervention for families and professionals.
Discussion
The results of this study will be used to design a study to assess the cost-effectiveness of the psychoeducational intervention in improving the mental health of primiparous women in the postpartum period.
Trial Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06512025; Last Public Release: 02/24/2025.
{"title":"Adaptation and implementation of a psychoeducational intervention to prevent postpartum depression and anxiety disorders in new mothers: study protocol for a randomized controlled clinical trial","authors":"A Roca-Lecumberri , N Fernández-Jarabo , S Albero , L Lucas , J Pelegrí , B Albillos , MJ Cid , A Torres-Giménez , E Solé , S Andrés , C Martínez-Bueno , L Garcia-Esteve , S Subirà , E Gelabert","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200462","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200462","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Perinatal mental health problems affect women during pregnancy and up to 1 year postpartum, affecting up to 1 in 5 women in high-income countries. The impact of perinatal anxiety and depression is well established not only on maternal health but also on children development. Therefore, the implementation of effective preventive measures in community services with universal access should be a priority for health care providers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a gender-based psychoeducational intervention for first-time mothers and their partners to reduce the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders in the postpartum period.</div></div><div><h3>Process</h3><div>We will study women receiving usual care plus a psychoeducational intervention and a control group receiving only usual care only. The sample will be recruited from a convenience sample of primiparous mothers within 2 weeks of childbirth attending antenatal care at community centers. We will recruit 400 women who agree to participate part in the study and will randomly assign them to receive usual care with or without the psychoeducational intervention (2 sessions: About Babies and About Parents) conducted by trained midwives. The entire sample will be assessed for perinatal mental health disorders at 3 and 6 months postpartum.</div></div><div><h3>Outcomes</h3><div>We expect: 1) to prevent and reduce the prevalence of postpartum mental illness, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in new mothers; 2) to improve relationships with partners and babies, as well as perceptions of self-efficacy in caring for the baby; and 3) good acceptability and accessibility of the intervention for families and professionals.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>The results of this study will be used to design a study to assess the cost-effectiveness of the psychoeducational intervention in improving the mental health of primiparous women in the postpartum period.</div></div><div><h3>Trial Registration</h3><div>ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06512025; Last Public Release: 02/24/2025.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 200462"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145361613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01DOI: 10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200460
Ida Lousen , Avril Johnstone , Jasper Schipperijn , Oliver Traynor , Paul McCrorie , Charlotte Skau Pawlowski
Background
Growing mental well-being concerns in children and adolescents, combined with the underexplored potential of schoolyards to positively impact well-being, highlight the need for further knowledge in this area. The objective of this scoping review was to provide an overview of existing research on the impact of schoolyard modifications on social, emotional, and cognitive well-being of children and adolescents.
Methods
Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, the inclusion criteria comprised children and adolescents in primary or secondary education and interventions involving modifications to the physical schoolyard environment (i.e. play structures, markings, and greening). Quantitative before/after evaluations of interventions were eligible. Five databases (Embase, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, and ERIC) were searched in July 2024. Quality of the included studies was assessed using an adapted version of the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool.
Results
Fourteen papers, evaluating 13 studies, were included, of which five were rated ‘strong’ in quality, three were rated ‘moderate,’ and five were rated ‘weak’. Thirty-one outcomes using 18 different measurement tools were identified, which highlights the complexity of the well-being construct. Most studies yielded non-significant or conflicting findings. However, findings cautiously indicated that a greater variety of play structures, spending time in green areas, and play structures combined with educational components tended to improve social, emotional, and cognitive well-being. These features should be prioritised when modifying schoolyards.
Conclusion
The evidence base remains limited and fragmented, which highlights the need for further research based on robust study designs and sample sizes sufficient to detect differences.
儿童和青少年对心理健康的关注日益增加，加上校园对健康产生积极影响的潜力尚未得到充分开发，这突显了在这一领域进一步了解的必要性。本综述的目的是对校园环境改变对儿童和青少年社会、情感和认知健康影响的现有研究进行综述。方法根据PRISMA-ScR指南，纳入标准包括小学或中学教育的儿童和青少年，以及涉及改变校园物理环境的干预措施（即游戏结构、标记和绿化）。干预措施的定量前后评估合格。在2024年7月检索了Embase、Web of Science、SPORTDiscus、PsycINFO和ERIC五个数据库。采用有效公共卫生实践项目（EPHPP）质量评估工具的改编版本对纳入研究的质量进行评估。结果共纳入14篇论文，共评估13项研究，其中5项质量为“强”，3项为“中等”，5项为“弱”。使用18种不同的测量工具确定了31个结果，这突出了幸福感结构的复杂性。大多数研究都得出了不重要或相互矛盾的结果。然而，研究结果谨慎地表明，更多种类的游戏结构，花时间在绿色区域，以及与教育成分相结合的游戏结构倾向于改善社交，情感和认知幸福感。在改造校园时，应优先考虑这些特点。结论证据基础仍然有限且碎片化，这表明需要进一步的研究，基于稳健的研究设计和足够的样本量来发现差异。
{"title":"The impact of schoolyard interventions on children’s and adolescents’ social, emotional, and cognitive well-being: A scoping review","authors":"Ida Lousen , Avril Johnstone , Jasper Schipperijn , Oliver Traynor , Paul McCrorie , Charlotte Skau Pawlowski","doi":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200460","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mhp.2025.200460","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Growing mental well-being concerns in children and adolescents, combined with the underexplored potential of schoolyards to positively impact well-being, highlight the need for further knowledge in this area. The objective of this scoping review was to provide an overview of existing research on the impact of schoolyard modifications on social, emotional, and cognitive well-being of children and adolescents.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, the inclusion criteria comprised children and adolescents in primary or secondary education and interventions involving modifications to the physical schoolyard environment (i.e. play structures, markings, and greening). Quantitative before/after evaluations of interventions were eligible. Five databases (Embase, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, and ERIC) were searched in July 2024. Quality of the included studies was assessed using an adapted version of the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Fourteen papers, evaluating 13 studies, were included, of which five were rated ‘strong’ in quality, three were rated ‘moderate,’ and five were rated ‘weak’. Thirty-one outcomes using 18 different measurement tools were identified, which highlights the complexity of the well-being construct. Most studies yielded non-significant or conflicting findings. However, findings cautiously indicated that a greater variety of play structures, spending time in green areas, and play structures combined with educational components tended to improve social, emotional, and cognitive well-being. These features should be prioritised when modifying schoolyards.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The evidence base remains limited and fragmented, which highlights the need for further research based on robust study designs and sample sizes sufficient to detect differences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55864,"journal":{"name":"Mental Health and Prevention","volume":"40 ","pages":"Article 200460"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145320039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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