Mental Health Programs For Adolescents Research Articles

Does Stress Affect Adolescent Anxiety by Mediating Sleep Time?

Background: Health is essential for the sustainable well-being, yet high stress, anxiety, and lack of sleep among Korean adolescents have become significant social concerns.Methods: This study examined the impact of stress on anxiety and investigated whether sleep time mediates this relationship in 46,870 male and female adolescents, ranging from first-year of middle school students to third-year high school students. Data were obtained from the "18th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey" conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.Results: The analysis showed that increased stress was associated with reduced sleep time and higher anxiety levels, stress was found to heighten anxiety, partly by reducing sleep time.Conclusions: Based on these findings, the study recommends: ① developing mental health indicators to quickly identify adolescents at risk for mental health issues, ② encouraging cooperation between schools, government agencies, healthcare providers to enhance access to mental health programs for adolescents, and ③ implementing policies that promote healthy behaviors, ensure adequate sleep, and improve overall well-being.

Exploring the implementation of the school-based mental health program for adolescents in Indonesia: A mixed-methods study

Background: Mental health issues among adolescents have become a public concern in Indonesia. The Indonesian government introduced the School-Based Mental Health (SBMH) program in 2017 and has implemented it in all public junior high schools in Jakarta. However, there is a relative scarcity of evidence regarding how schools have implemented the SBMH. Objective: This study aimed to explore the SBMH program and its implementation in public junior high schools. Methods: Mixed methods were employed in 12 public junior high schools (6 from East Jakarta and 6 from West Jakarta) using a purposive sampling method from May 6 to August 30, 2021. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were applied to the data analysis. Results: The main inhibiting factor for the implementation of the SBMH program was the school curriculum. Schools that received the Health School Award had more trained teachers to facilitate the SBMH program compared to schools without the award. Consequently, schools with the award successfully implemented regular mental health education in the classroom, screening, and counseling for students with mental health issues more effectively than schools without the award. Conclusion: The government should gradually strengthen resources to facilitate the SBMH program in the long term. In the short and medium term, the government should develop a collaboration network by supporting external mental health providers, professionals, and counselors.

Adaptation of a school-based mental health program for adolescents in Vietnam.

Cultural adaptation of a school-based mental health intervention developed in a high-income country is a cost-effective method to address the mental health needs of adolescents in resource-constrained settings. The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the Resourceful Adolescent Program for Adolescents (RAP-A) for adolescents attending high school in Vietnam. The translation and adaptation were conducted using a five-step process including (1) initial stakeholder consultation, (2) forward translation, (3) backward translation, (4) adaptation, and (5) finalising the adapted version. An adaptation panel was established, including the RAP-A authors and mental health and public health experts from Australia, and psychology and public health experts from Vietnam. The panel collaborated closely with a group of stakeholders, including bilingual psychologists and psychiatrists, high school (grades 10-12) students and teachers throughout the adaptation process. The adapted version of RAP-A was named 'Happy House'. Happy House was adapted to be delivered in larger groups and in longer sessions than the RAP-A. The 11 sessions in RAP-A were restructured to 6 sessions in Happy House. Major changes were not required for any of the materials. However, some content, illustrations and videos were adapted to be more feasible for the school context and to enhance the comprehensibility, acceptability and appropriateness. Happy House has great potential to be relevant, comprehensible and acceptable for Vietnamese adolescents. Further research is warranted to examine the relevance, comprehensibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of this program on adolescents' mental health before advocating for scaling up program delivery in high schools throughout Vietnam.

The role of basic psychological need satisfaction as a mediator between friendship quality and life satisfaction

Friendship quality plays an essential role for adolescents in achieving optimal life satisfaction. However, previous studies have failed to explain friendship quality and life satisfaction fully. This study examines the role of basic psychological need satisfaction in the relationship between friendship quality and life satisfaction. A total of 450 respondents consisting of three groups of 150 early, middle, and late adolescents participated in this study. Data were collected using quota and convenience sampling methods. Friendship quality, basic psychological need satisfaction, and life satisfaction were measured using the McGill Friendship Questionnaire–Friend's Functions, Sub-scale Satisfaction of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale, and the Indonesian version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale. The hypothesis was tested using regression analysis and SOBEL macro for SPSS. The results show that basic psychological need satisfaction acts as a full mediator between friendship quality and life satisfaction (indirect effect = .330, z = 8.383, p .05). In addition, the satisfaction of the need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness can also be a full mediator between friendship quality and life satisfaction. This finding can be an alternative in explaining this relationship between friendship quality and life satisfaction. In addition, the findings can also be used to develop mental health programs for adolescents.

Building a Community Based Mental Health Program for Adolescents in Botswana: Stakeholder Feedback.

When planning interventions for adolescents, adult interventions should not be used 'as is' in youth settings. Stakeholder engagement can help understand the overall adolescent mental health ecosystem and adapt existing evidence-based interventions for the youth. To understand the overall mental health needs of adolescents in Botswana and the necessary adaptations required for an adolescent lay counselor based intervention in the country. We used the theory of change model and the nominal group technique in five stakeholder meetings. Meetings were held to discuss the mental health needs of youth in Botswana and identify priorities for a lay counsellor based intervention modelled after the Friendship Bench intervention, an existing mental health intervention for adults. The root causes of mental health problems among Botswana's youth identified by stakeholders included limited mental health knowledge among the youth and the community, family problems, poor communication, low self-esteem, the rapid growth of technology, and biological/genetic predisposition. Structurally barriers included: mental illness-related stigma, lack of psychosocial support, incomplete follow up for health services, cultural beliefs about mental illness, and fragmented mental health services. The stakeholders envisage a program that could empower adolescents and youth counselors to address mental health concerns for a healthier community. The group identified and prioritized several key elements of an effective lay counselor intervention. A diverse group of community stakeholders can illustrate critical mental health needs and elements that countries could use to adapt and contextualize a lay counsellor based mental health intervention for new populations such as the youth.

Characteristics of effective online interventions: implications for adolescents with personality disorder during a global pandemic.

In recent years, the necessity of providing online interventions for adolescents, as an alternative to face-to-face interventions, has become apparent due to several barriers some adolescents face in accessing treatment. This need has become more critical with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic impacting the delivery of psychotherapy and limiting accessibility of face-to-face therapy. Whilst it has been established that face-to-face psychotherapy for adolescents with personality disorder can be effective in reducing the impact these complex mental illnesses have on functioning, online interventions for adolescents are rare, and to our knowledge there are no empirically validated online interventions for personality disorder. The development of novel online interventions are therefore necessary. To inform the development of online interventions for adolescents with personality disorder or symptoms of emerging personality disorder, a two-phase rapid review was conducted. Phase one consisted of a search and examination of existing online mental health programs for adolescents with symptoms of personality disorder, to understand how to best use online platforms. Phase two consisted of a rapid review of empirical literature examining online interventions for adolescents experiencing symptoms of personality disorder to identify characteristics that promote efficacy. There were no online programs specific to personality disorder in adolescence. However, 32 online mental health programs and 41 published empirical studies were included for analysis. Common intervention characteristics included timeframes of one to two months, regular confidential therapist contact, simple interactive online components and modules, and the inclusion of homework or workbook activities to practice new skills. There is an urgent need for online interventions targeting personality dysfunction in adolescence. Several characteristics of effective online interventions for adolescents were identified. These characteristics can help inform the development and implementation of novel online treatments to prevent and reduce the burden and impact of personality disorder, or symptoms of emerging personality disorder, in adolescents. This has implications for the COVID-19 pandemic when access to effective online interventions has become more urgent.

The modules of mental health programs implemented in schools in low- and middle-income countries: findings from a systematic literature review

BackgroundSecondary schools in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) provide health promotion, preventive, and early intervention services. Nevertheless, literature indicates that the modules of these services are either adapted or modified from existing mental health programs in developed countries. The literature also highlights the provision of non-comprehensive services (mental health promotion, prevention, and early intervention), in LMICs. These findings inform the need for undertaking this systematic literature review. The aim of this review was thus to identify the modules of school-based mental health programs (SBMHP) that have been implemented in LMICs to guide the development of a culturally sensitive comprehensive mental health program for adolescents in a LMIC country.MethodsThe Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was used to guide this review. The following databases were searched in September 2018, to identify the relevant literature: PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and ERIC. The search was conducted by the first author and reviewed by the authors.ResultsFollowing the screening process, a total of 11 papers were identified and reviewed for quality. The systematic review highlighted that the mental health programs provided in schools included: an introduction module, a communication and relationship module, a psychoeducation module, a cognitive skills module, a behavioral skills module, establishing social networks for recovery and help seeking behavioral activities and a summary/conclusion module.ConclusionThis review sheds light on the characteristics of the programs in LMICs. Two programs were found to be universal in nature. Five programs were directed at key risk factors or at-risk groups, and four were early intervention programs. The review also revealed that only one program out of the 11 programs included modules for parents. The synthesis indicated that all the identified programs were adapted or modified from existing programs. The dearth of comprehensive programs in LMICs was also revealed. Lastly, the review revealed seven modules that can be useful for developing a SBMHP.

Effectiveness of a School-Based Group Psychotherapy Program for War-Exposed Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective To evaluate the comparative effectiveness of a classroom-based psychoeducation and skills intervention (tier 1) and a school-based trauma- and grief-focused group treatment (tier 2) of a three-tiered mental health program for adolescents exposed to severe war-related trauma, traumatic bereavement, and postwar adversity. Method A total of 127 war-exposed and predominantly ethnic Muslim secondary school students attending 10 schools in central Bosnia who reported severe symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or maladaptive grief and significant impairment in school or relationships were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions. These included either an active-treatment comparison condition (tier 1), consisting of a classroom-based psychoeducation and skills intervention alone ( n = 61, 66% girls, mean age 16.0 years, SD 1.13) or a treatment condition composed of both the classroom-based intervention and a 17-session manual-based group therapy intervention (tier 2), trauma and grief component therapy for adolescents ( n = 66, 63% girls, mean age 15.9 years, SD 1.11). Both interventions were implemented throughout the school year. Distressed students who were excluded from the study due to acute risk for harm ( n = 9) were referred for community-based mental health services (tier 3). Results Program effectiveness was measured via reductions in symptoms of PTSD, depression, and maladaptive grief assessed at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 4-month follow-up. Analysis of mean-level treatment effects showed significant pre- to posttreatment and posttreatment to 4-month follow-up reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms in both the treatment and comparison conditions. Significant pre- to posttreatment reductions in maladaptive grief reactions were found only in the treatment condition. Analyzed at the individual case level, the percentages of students in the treatment condition who reported significant ( p < .05) pre- to posttreatment reductions in PTSD symptoms (58% at posttreatment, 81% at 4-month follow-up) compare favorably to those reported in controlled treatment efficacy trials, whereas the percentages who reported significant reductions in depression symptoms (23% at posttreatment, 61% at follow-up) are comparable to, or higher than, those found in community treatment settings. Lower but substantial percentages of significant symptom reduction were found for PTSD (33% at posttreatment, 48% at follow-up) and depression symptoms (13% at posttreatment; 47% at follow-up) in students in the comparison condition. The odds of significant symptom reduction were higher for PTSD symptoms at both posttreatment and 4-month follow-up and for maladaptive grief at posttreatment (no follow-up was conducted on maladaptive grief). Rates of significantly worsened cases were generally rare in both the treatment and comparison conditions. Conclusions A three-tiered, integrative mental health program composed of schoolwide dissemination of psychoeducation and coping skills (tier 1), specialized trauma- and grief-focused intervention for severely traumatized and traumatically bereaved youths (tier 2), and referral of youths at acute risk for community-based mental health services (tier 3) constitutes an effective and efficient method for promoting adolescent recovery in postwar settings. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 2008; 47(9): 1048–1062.

Outcomes for Youth Residential Treatment Programs Using Administrative Data from the Child Welfare System: A Risk-Adjustment Application

This study assessed whether administrative data from the public child welfare system could be used to develop risk-adjusted performance reports for residential mental health programs for adolescents. Regression methods were used with 3,759 residential treatment spells for 2,784 children and youth to determine which outcomes could be adequately risk adjusted for case mix. Expected outcomes were created for each residential program given its case mix; then, expected and achieved outcomes were compared. For most programs, achieved results did not differ significantly from expected results for individual outcomes. Overall, outcomes achieved were not impressive. Only one quarter of spells resulted in a youth being maintained in a single less restrictive setting in the year following discharge. Methodological implications of this study suggest further refinements are needed for child welfare administrative data in order to develop risk-adjusted report cards of program performance.

Correlation of mental health problems with psychological constructs in adolescence: final results from a 2-year study

In recent years, it has been widely witnessed that a surprising number of adolescents suffer emotional and mental health problems, and such turmoil is very often carried over into adulthood with serious implications for adjustment during the post-adolescent years. On this point, mental health problems in Korea are only now being considered crucial factors in the health status of adolescents and important public and social issues. It is also true that studies concerning the link between adolescents’ mental health problems and their psychology are limited. The purposes of this study were to investigate mental health problems of Korean adolescents, to reveal factors affecting their negative mental health and to explore a possible relationship between mental health problems and psychological variables. 2052 Korean adolescents selected randomly from junior high and high schools in Seoul, Korea were surveyed. Korean Symptom Checklist, Health Locus of Control Scale, Self-efficacy Scale and Self-esteem Scale were used to identify mental health problems and psychological variables of adolescents. Results indicated that Korean adolescents showed high prevalence in interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety and hostility. In addition, the findings revealed that there were significant differences in adolescents’ mental health problems between gender and age. Furthermore, results revealed that the adolescents’ mental health problems were statistically correlated with psychological variables. This study provides significant information for the relatively unstudied Korean adolescents and also has the potential to influence the development of better mental health programs for adolescents.

Mental health concerns of Canadian adolescents: a consumer's perspective.

To evaluate the mental health of adolescent students in Metropolitan Toronto. A survey was developed by adolescents for adolescents to evaluate adolescent mental health. The survey was completed by 486 secondary school students in Metropolitan Toronto. The findings of this consumer-directed survey show that the majority of teenagers are not overwhelmed by stress and generally exhibit healthy coping behaviours. Violence is identified as an important concern and help-seeking behaviour for mental health issues, when it occurs, is directed primarily towards the family and teachers rather than physicians. A number of important issues regarding mental illness, including its identification and treatment, were not considered by teens to be part of their mental health concerns. The implications of these findings for the development of community-based mental health programs for adolescents are discussed.