Development and modelling of a school-based mental health intervention: the co-production of the R.E.A.C.T. programme

Abstract

The lack of effective school-based interventions for addressing mental health issues and psychological well-being in young people, particularly those with stakeholder involvement, for reducing test anxiety in adolescents has caused a call for interventions to be developed through the process of co-production with the key stakeholders, i.e. teachers and students. The purpose of this paper is to present the development and modelling of a coproduced school-based intervention to improve mental health and psychological well-being in adolescents in the post-primary setting. The intervention was developed through a six step co-production model. This included an extensive evidence review, interviews (n = 7), focus groups (n = 6), observations in three school settings and initial modelling of the intervention programme and resources in the co-research partner school. Findings were used to identify the preferred structure and content of the intervention. A six-week intervention for 12–14 year olds was co-produced along with relevant teacher resources and student work books. The intervention consisting of a psycho-educational component and physical activity component underpinned by cognitive, behavioural and self-regulation theories aimed to reduce test anxiety and improve psychological well-being. The co-production model was a successful series of six steps used to create and refine the intervention. The programme represents a theoretically informed intervention comprising multiple components. This study contributes to a better understanding of the determinants of mental health issues among young people and how an intervention can be effectively co-produced. The results suggest that a feasibility study is warranted with teachers delivering the programme.