Assessing the Efficacy of the 'Bicho De 7 Cabeças' B-learning School-based Program in Enhancing Mental Health Literacy and Reducing Stigma

Overview

Journal BMC Psychol

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Psychology

Date 2024 Feb 23

PMID 38395937

Authors

Gislene Meilsmeidth

Maria Joao Trigueiro

Vitor Simoes-Silva

Raquel Simoes de Almeida

Paula Portugal

Paulo Veloso Gomes

Sara de Sousa

Filipa Campos

Pedro Monteiro

Ana Paula Soutelo

Antonio Marques

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The prevalence of mental disorders in adolescents has a considerable impact on daily life, restricting tasks and diminishing overall quality of life while potentially leading to stigmatization. This study aims to measure the impact of a mental health literacy intervention program, called "Bicho de 7 Cabeças" project, in b-learning format, on the increase of knowledge and the decrease of stigma in young people from Póvoa de Varzim, in Portugal. A quasi-experimental study was conducted, from November 2022 to May 2023, involving an experimental group ("Bicho de 7 Cabeças" protocol) and an active control group (informational brochures), utilizing a pre-test/post-test design. Mental Health Literacy Measure-MHLM, Mental Health Promoting Knowledge Scale-MHPK-10, Mental Illness Knowledge Schedule-MAKS, Reported and Intended Behaviour Scale-RIBS, and Community Attitudes toward People with Mental Illness-CAMI were used. A total of 504 young students from the 9th grade enroll in this study, with a mean age around 14 years old. There is a significant difference between stigma (p <.001) and knowledge (p <.001) scores at baseline and follow-up. The results of this study shows that interventions aimed at young people for the promotion of mental health literacy and stigma reduction are needed and more initiatives should be implemented in schools to address these problems.

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