Lisa Townsend1, Rashelle Musci2, Elizabeth Stuart2,3,4, Anne Ruble1, Mary B Beaudry1, Barbara Schweizer1, Megan Owen1, Carly Goode1, Sarah L Johnson5, Catherine Bradshaw2,6, Holly Wilcox7, Karen Swartz7. 1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287. 2. Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205. 3. Department of Biostatistics, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205. 4. Department of Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205. 5. Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205. 6. Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904. 7. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although school climate is linked with youth educational, socioemotional, behavioral, and health outcomes, there has been limited research on the association between school climate and mental health education efforts. We explored whether school climate was associated with students' depression literacy and mental health stigma beliefs. METHODS: Data were combined from 2 studies: the Maryland Safe Supportive Schools Project and a randomized controlled trial of the Adolescent Depression Awareness Program. Five high schools participated in both studies, allowing examination of depression literacy and stigma measures from 500 9th and 10th graders. Multilevel models examined the relationship between school-level school climate characteristics and student-level depression literacy and mental health stigma scores. RESULTS:Overall school climate was positively associated with depression literacy (odds ratio [OR] = 2.78, p < .001) and negatively associated with stigma (Est. = -3.822, p = .001). Subscales of engagement (OR = 5.30, p < .001) and environment were positively associated with depression literacy (OR = 2.01, p < .001) and negatively associated with stigma (Est. = -6.610, p < .001), (Est. = -2.742, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Positive school climate was associated with greater odds of depression literacy and endorsement of fewer stigmatizing beliefs among students. Our findings raise awareness regarding aspects of the school environment that may facilitate or inhibit students' recognition of depression and subsequent treatment-seeking.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Although school climate is linked with youth educational, socioemotional, behavioral, and health outcomes, there has been limited research on the association between school climate and mental health education efforts. We explored whether school climate was associated with students' depression literacy and mental health stigma beliefs. METHODS: Data were combined from 2 studies: the Maryland Safe Supportive Schools Project and a randomized controlled trial of the Adolescent Depression Awareness Program. Five high schools participated in both studies, allowing examination of depression literacy and stigma measures from 500 9th and 10th graders. Multilevel models examined the relationship between school-level school climate characteristics and student-level depression literacy and mental health stigma scores. RESULTS: Overall school climate was positively associated with depression literacy (odds ratio [OR] = 2.78, p < .001) and negatively associated with stigma (Est. = -3.822, p = .001). Subscales of engagement (OR = 5.30, p < .001) and environment were positively associated with depression literacy (OR = 2.01, p < .001) and negatively associated with stigma (Est. = -6.610, p < .001), (Est. = -2.742, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Positive school climate was associated with greater odds of depression literacy and endorsement of fewer stigmatizing beliefs among students. Our findings raise awareness regarding aspects of the school environment that may facilitate or inhibit students' recognition of depression and subsequent treatment-seeking.
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