Mental Health, Alcohol Use, Workplace Bullying and Attitude toward Mental Health Help-Seeking in French Apprentices

Abstract

Young people are at heightened risk for mental health problems. Among them, apprentices in some cases meet working conditions with significant challenges to mental wellness at a critical developmental period. Although mental health issues have been well documented in higher education students, this is not the case for apprentices. The present experiment thus aimed to fill the gap of available information between the two populations. More specifically, we aimed to provide a topic overview of French apprentices’ mental health and well-being, to examine the prevalence of workplace bullying in French apprentices and its’ associations with mental health difficulties, and to explore apprentices’ attitudes toward help-seeking in order to inform the development of online intervention relevant to apprentices. Main results show that apprentices have poor mental health and that age, gender and business sector act as risk factors, with apprentices aged 18 - 25 years, female apprentices and apprentices in the tertiary sector experiencing higher levels of distress and lower levels of well-being. Results also reveal a high prevalence of workplace bullying associated with psychological distress, alcohol use and maladaptive stress management strategies. Finally, although apprentices are not reluctant to seek help from mental health professionals, the workplace is not considered as a setting where to find help. However, digital self-help programs could fit well with the daily lifestyle and interests of apprentices. Practical recommendations to address mental health issues in apprentices are discussed within a comprehensive framework including community mental health awareness, digital mental health intervention, and workplace prevention programs.