Stigma
Conditions
Keywords
Disparities
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to train Church Leaders and other community members in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), which is an evidence-based public mental health education program. MHFA has been found to improve people's recognition of emotional and mental health challenges and to increase people's confidence in providing help to others. Information about MHFA can be accessed at http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org. MHFA consists an 8-hour training program in which participants will be provided a manual, learn the signs and symptoms of common mental health problems, and learn a 5-step action plan to help someone in an emotional crisis. Participants ware recruited from faith-based organizations (i.e., churches), health care organizations (i.e., hospitals), and other community based organizations. There will be no treatment directly provided as part of this study.
Interventions
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is listed in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices. The program also teaches the common risk factors and warning signs of specific types of illnesses like anxiety, depression, substance use, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, and schizophrenia. Participants are introduced to local mental health resources, national organizations, support groups, and online tools for mental health and addictions treatment and support.
Sponsors
Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc.
Study design
Observational model
ECOLOGIC_OR_COMMUNITY
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
21 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Fluent in English * Able to provide signed formed consent
Exclusion criteria
* Any circumstances limiting participant's ability to complete the 8-hour training * Inability to provide informed consent
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change from Baseline Confidence in Providing Help at 3 months | 3 months | After reading a clinical vignette that describes a person with either Schizophrenia or Major Depression, participants are asked How confident do you feel in helping this person? Possible responses are on a 5-point Likert scale with 1 = Not at all confident and 5 = Extremely confident |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change from Baseline in Stigma at 3 months | 3 months | Personal and Perceived Stigma Scale. It is a 14-item measure that assesses stigmatizing attitudes. Questions are on a 5-point Likert scale with 1 = Strongly Agree and 5 = Strongly Disagree with scores ranging from 14 to 70. A higher score indicates greater stigma A clinical vignette, describing either a case with Schizophrenia or Major Depression, is presented. Participants are asked questions about social stigma, which assesses what participants' perceptions of people in their community, and personal stigma, which assesses the participants' personal beliefs. |
| Change from Baseline in Functional Health Status at 3 months | 3 months | The Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short Form Survey Instrument (SF-12) is a validated functional health status assessment that assesses health status over the preceding 4 weeks. Measures include 1. General Health: 5-point Likert scale with 1 = Excellent and 5 = Poor 2. Physical Functioning: 3-point Likert scale with 1 = Yes, Limited a lot and 3 = No, Not Limited at all 3. Role limitations resulting from physical health problems: Possible responses are 'Yes' or 'No' 4. Role limitations resulting from emotional problems: Possible responses are 'Yes' or 'No' 5. Bodily Pain: 5-point Likert scale with 1 = Not at All and 5 = Extremely 6. Vitality (energy and fatigue): 7. Mental Health: 6-point Likert scale with 1 = All of the Time and 6 = None of the Time 8. Social Functioning: 6-point Likert scale with 1 = All of the Time and 6 = None of the Time Total Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating poorer health |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Semi structured Interviews at 3 months | 3 months | Semi-structured interviews are conducted with participants either over the telephone, in-person at their church or at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. The purpose of the interview is to get examples of how participants utilized the skills in Mental Health First Aid training, what action items they completed, and how the training could be improved for use among other communities |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed