None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Adolescence is a high-risk time for the development of mental health and substance use problems. Evidence shows that young people who experience these issues typically turn to their peers for support rather than seeking professional help. While there are numerous programs that endeavour to improve student knowledge about mental health and substance use, there are few programs that provide students with the practical skills required to encourage their friends to seek help. MAKINGtheLINK is a school based education program that equips young people with correct information and the opportunity to practice assisting a friend at risk. The program teaches students practical skills regarding: signs of problematic substance use and emotional issues, what to say to a friend that you are concerned about to encourage them to seek help, the types of helpers that exists and how to access them. By comparing the knowledge and behaviours of Victorian year 9 students who receive the program with those that do not receive the program, we will be able to measure whether there are improved rates of help seeking and confidence to assist a friend to seek help amongst the group that receive the program.
Interventions
The intervention consists of five interactive classroom activities run over 3 school periods (average period is 50 minutes), plus a booster session (to reiterate key messages and practice encouraging a friend to seek help) one month later. Program is delivered by an experienced external facilitator with assistance of the classroom teacher.
The five interactive sessions are as follows:
Activity One - Ranking for Risk - students rank problem situations of young people according to how concerned
The intervention consists of five interactive classroom activities run over 3 school periods (average period is 50 minutes), plus a booster session (to reiterate key messages and practice encouraging a friend to seek help) one month later. Program is delivered by an experienced external facilitator with assistance of the classroom teacher. The five interactive sessions are as follows: Activity One - Ranking for Risk - students rank problem situations of young people according to how concerned they are and who they think needs help (method: small group activity, then shared with larger group) Activity Two - Myth or Fact? - students are presented with statements about alcohol use and mental health and must decide whether they are myth or fact (method: small group activity) Activity Three - Under Construction - students watch an animation about the effects of risky drinking on the different areas of the adolescent brain and impact on behaviour (method: role play) Activity Four - Helpers - students learn about the different types of helpers that they can access and decide which helper the young person in the story should seek help from (method: whole class discussion) Activity Five - Helping Jason - students watch video clips about Jason's alcohol use and how it impacts his behaviour and relationships. Students then discuss the approach Jason's friends' take in talking to him about their concerns and assisting him to seek professional help. Booster Session - reiterates learning's from other activities (web based sessions)
Sponsors
Prof. Dan Lubman
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
13 Years to 16 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
year 9 classes from Victorian Secondary schools with at least 50 students in the year group
Exclusion criteria
- schools involvement in other health promotion classes that may confound the trial - schools beyond a 50km radius from Melbourne CBD
Outcome results
None listed