My K Banh1, Jeremy Chaikind2, Hillary A Robertson3, Mary Troxel4, Justine Achille2, Caroline Egan3, Bruno J Anthony1,3,5. 1. 1 Department of Psychiatry, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA. 2. 2 Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA. 3. 3 Georgetown Center for Child and Human Development, Washington, DC, USA. 4. 4 Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA. 5. 5 Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: This study assessed the impact of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) in the United States with a theoretically based and psychometrically sound measure, the Mental Health Beliefs and Literacy Scale (MBLS). DESIGN: Online MBLS surveys were administered pre-MHFA training, 3-weeks post-training, and 6-months posttraining. SETTING: Mental Health First Aid trainings carried out across the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred sixty-two trainees were contacted, and 273 (41%) completed the presurvey. Of those, 63% filled out the postsurvey and 35% completed the 6-month survey. Seventy-six individuals completed all 3 surveys. INTERVENTION: Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour education program to help the general public identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse; to date, almost 1 million people have been trained. MEASURE: The MLBS, based on the Unified Theory of Behavior Change framework, consists of attitudinal, social-, and skill-based constructs affecting the intention to perform and achievement of MHFA actions and reports of their actual completion. ANALYSIS: Change across time points was assessed using multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: Significant short- and longer term changes were found in internally consistent constructs tapping positive beliefs about MHFA actions, the confidence and intention to perform them as well as mental health literacy. CONCLUSION: The MBLS documented strong positive effects of MHFA training that were greater in individuals without prior mental health training, the intended targets of MHFA efforts.
PURPOSE: This study assessed the impact of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) in the United States with a theoretically based and psychometrically sound measure, the Mental Health Beliefs and Literacy Scale (MBLS). DESIGN: Online MBLS surveys were administered pre-MHFA training, 3-weeks post-training, and 6-months posttraining. SETTING: Mental Health First Aid trainings carried out across the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred sixty-two trainees were contacted, and 273 (41%) completed the presurvey. Of those, 63% filled out the postsurvey and 35% completed the 6-month survey. Seventy-six individuals completed all 3 surveys. INTERVENTION: Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour education program to help the general public identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse; to date, almost 1 million people have been trained. MEASURE: The MLBS, based on the Unified Theory of Behavior Change framework, consists of attitudinal, social-, and skill-based constructs affecting the intention to perform and achievement of MHFA actions and reports of their actual completion. ANALYSIS: Change across time points was assessed using multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: Significant short- and longer term changes were found in internally consistent constructs tapping positive beliefs about MHFA actions, the confidence and intention to perform them as well as mental health literacy. CONCLUSION: The MBLS documented strong positive effects of MHFA training that were greater in individuals without prior mental health training, the intended targets of MHFA efforts.
Entities:
Keywords:
attitudes and beliefs; evaluation; intention; mental health first aid; mental health literacy; self-efficacy; stigma; unified theory of behavior change