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  • United to help teachers: intervention to promote mental health literacy in secondary school teachers: preliminary results
    Publication . Campos, Luísa; Palha, Filipa; Dias, Pedro; Costa, Natália
    Several adolescents experience significant mental health problems that interfere with their development, but they often don´t have the necessary knowledge to recognise the symptoms (Trudgen & Lawn, 2011). Teachers therefore play a crucial role in early detection of mental health problems in their students and referral to early intervention support services (Graham, Phelps, Maddison & Fitzgerald, 2011; McGorry, Purcell, Hickie, & Jorm, 2007; VicHealth, 2008). Frequently they are the first to observe the maladaptive behaviours that affect young people’s learning and overall functioning (Meldrum, Venn & Kutcher, 2009; Trudgen et al., 2011; Whitley, Smith & Vaillancourt, 2012). The “United to Help Teachers - Intervention to promote mental health literacy in secondary school teachers” project aims at promoting mental health literacy in secondary school teachers. The intervention is composed by two sessions, 150 minutes each, one-week interval. Sessions follow an interactive methodology, using group dynamics and music and group discussions. The impact of the intervention is conducted through a pretest-posttest design using “Questionnaire UPA Makes the Difference: Perceptions of mental health problems – teachers’ form”. Sixty secondary school teachers participated in this study. The postest showed a significant increase in teachers’ positive perceptions regarding mental health problems (less stigmatized), as well as a significant improvement of teachers’ perceived knowledge regarding mental health issues. These results suggest that increasing teachers’ mental health literacy is a crucial complement of school-based intervention that can permit early detection of mental health problems in young people.
  • UPA Faz a Diferença - Acções de Sensibilização/ Pro-Saúde Mental junto de jovens entre os 15 e os 18 anos: diferenças de género
    Publication . Campos, Luísa; Palha, Filipa; Dias, Pedro; Veiga, Elisa; Lima, Vânia Sousa; Costa, Natália; Duarte, Ana Isabel
  • UPA faz a diferença - Acções de sensibilização pró-saúde mental: resultados preliminares de acções de sensibilização pró-saúde mental
    Publication . Campos, Luísa; Palha, Filipa; Dias, Pedro; Veiga, Elisa; Lima, Vânia Sousa; Costa, Natália; Duarte, Ana Isabel
    Objectivos: Este artigo apresenta os resultados preliminares da avaliação do impacto das acções de sensibilização pró-saúde mental, desenvolvidas no âmbito do projecto UPA Faz a Diferença, bem como das características psicométricas do “Questionário UPA faz a diferença”. Métodos: Partindo de uma amostra de 232 alunos (15 aos 18 anos) do ensino secundário, 121 alunos (grupo experimental - GE) participaram nas acções de sensibilização, constituídas por 2 sessões. Seguindo uma metodologia do tipo pré-pós, foi aplicado o “Questionário UPA” no GE, no início da 1ª sessão e final da 2ª; bem como no grupo de controlo (GC), nos mesmos momentos do GE. Resultados: Dos resultados preliminares (N=232 alunos; GE=121, GC=111), relativos aos scores globais de 2 secções do questionário, destaca-se: (1) o aumento mais expressivo de percepções positivas em relação a problemas de saúde mental (menos estigmatizantes) no GE e o aumento significativo das percepções de conhecimentos apenas no GE; bem como (2) os resultados satisfatórios de consistência interna nas secções percepções estigmatizantes e percepções de conhecimentos (alpha de Cronbach=0.75 e 0.92 respectivamente). Conclusões: Os resultados indicam que as acções de sensibilização parecem constituir uma intervenção efectiva no aumento da mental health literacy, bem como na diminuição das percepções estigmatizantes. Os níveis de consistência interna obtidos para as secções percepções estigmatizantes e percepções de conhecimentos do “Questionário UPA” são satisfatórios, apontando para a fidelidade destas duas secções.
  • Mental health awareness intervention in schools
    Publication . Campos, Luísa; Palha, Filipa; Dias, Pedro; Lima, Vânia Sousa; Veiga, Elisa; Costa, Natália; Duarte, Ana Isabel
    The lack of information and stigma associated with mental disorders are major obstacles to the promotion of mental health. The “UPA Makes the Difference: Mental health awareness intervention in schools” project aims to contribute to increase young people knowledge regarding mental health issues. This project is part of the “United to Help Movement”, focusing on the combat of mental illness stigma and discrimination. Objectives: to describe the psychometric characteristics of the questionnaire UH (United to Help) and to verify the adequacy of action to promote mental health. Methods: this study was conducted with 26 students (15-17 year-olds). The mental health intervention is composed by 2 sessions. The questionnaire was administered at the beginning of the 1st session and in the end of the 2nd session. Results: cronbach’s alpha regarding 2 sections of the “Questionnaire UPA” stated poor and acceptable levels of internal consistency (stigmatizing perceptions and perceptions of knowledge, respectively). The post intervention assessment showed a significant increase in the total score of the perceptions of knowledge; no significant differences in stigmatizing perceptions; and a significant decrease in help-seeking intentions when facing a mental health problem, although most participants have come to consider different types of help. Conclusion: the results suggest the need to review the structure of the “stigmatizing perceptions” section of the questionnaire, as well as to conduct new analyses with a larger sample. Furthermore, results show the adequacy of the methodology used in the intervention, particularly in the capacity showed to promote the increase of knowledge regarding mental health issues.