Yasutaka Ojio1, Ryoichi Mori2, Kazunori Matsumoto3, Takahiro Nemoto4, Tomiki Sumiyoshi5, Hirokazu Fujita6, Tsubasa Morimoto7, Aya Nishizono-Maher8, Chiyo Fuji1, Masafumi Mizuno4. 1. Department of Community Mental Health & Law, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Japan. 2. Department of Physical Education, Tokai University, Japan. 3. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Japan. 4. Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Toho University, Japan. 5. Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Japan. 6. Center to Promote Creativity in Medical Education, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Japan. 7. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Nara Medical University, Japan. 8. Department of Psychology, Meiji Gakuin University, Japan.
Abstract
AIMS: Improving mental health literacy through school-based education may encourage mental health promotion, prevention and care and reduce stigma in adolescents. In Japan, instruction about mental illness has been formulated in a Course of Study that reflects governmental curriculum guidelines, which will be enforced from 2022 to promote an understanding of current issues of adolescent health. Educational resources available to schoolteachers have been developed. This article describes the development processes and contents of these resources. METHODS: Our collaborating team, consisting of mental health professionals and schoolteachers, developed educational resources, based on feedback from high school students in general and young people who had experienced mental health problems. RESULTS: The new Course of Study covers: (1) mechanisms of mental illness, prevalence, age at onset, risk factors and treatability; (2) typical symptoms of mental health problems and illnesses; (3) self-help strategies for prevention of and recovery from mental illness; (4) enhancing help-seeking and helping behaviour and (5) decreasing stigma associated with people with mental health problems. The educational strategy is targeted at high school students (grades 10-12) and is conducted by teachers of health and physical education. The educational resources include short story animated films, filmed social contact and educators' manuals, which are freely available through the internet and open to all concerned including schoolteachers in Japan. CONCLUSIONS: Our efforts are expected to help implement mental health education of the public throughout Japan and other countries and promote the practice of early intervention and prevention of mental illnesses in adolescents.
AIMS: Improving mental health literacy through school-based education may encourage mental health promotion, prevention and care and reduce stigma in adolescents. In Japan, instruction about mental illness has been formulated in a Course of Study that reflects governmental curriculum guidelines, which will be enforced from 2022 to promote an understanding of current issues of adolescent health. Educational resources available to schoolteachers have been developed. This article describes the development processes and contents of these resources. METHODS: Our collaborating team, consisting of mental health professionals and schoolteachers, developed educational resources, based on feedback from high school students in general and young people who had experienced mental health problems. RESULTS: The new Course of Study covers: (1) mechanisms of mental illness, prevalence, age at onset, risk factors and treatability; (2) typical symptoms of mental health problems and illnesses; (3) self-help strategies for prevention of and recovery from mental illness; (4) enhancing help-seeking and helping behaviour and (5) decreasing stigma associated with people with mental health problems. The educational strategy is targeted at high school students (grades 10-12) and is conducted by teachers of health and physical education. The educational resources include short story animated films, filmed social contact and educators' manuals, which are freely available through the internet and open to all concerned including schoolteachers in Japan. CONCLUSIONS: Our efforts are expected to help implement mental health education of the public throughout Japan and other countries and promote the practice of early intervention and prevention of mental illnesses in adolescents.