Development of mental health first aid guidelines on how a member of the public can support a person affected by a traumatic event: a Delphi study

Abstract Background Trauma has a major impact on the mental health and wellbeing of people globally. Friends, family and members of the public are often well positioned to provide initial assistance if someone is experiencing extreme distress following a potentially traumatic event. Expert consensus guidelines for high income, Western countries on how to do this were published in 2008. The aim of the current study was to re-develop these guidelines to ensure they are current and reflect best practice. Methods The Delphi consensus method was used to determine which helping statements should be included in the guidelines. Helping statements were derived from a systematic search of literature that considered how a member of the public could help someone experiencing extreme distress following a potentially traumatic event. Two expert panels, comprising 28 mental health professionals with expertise in managing trauma and 26 consumer advocates, rated each statement. Statements were accepted for inclusion in the guidelines if they were endorsed by at least 80% of each panel. Results Out of 183 statements, 103 were endorsed as appropriate helping actions in providing assistance to someone experiencing extreme distress following a potentially traumatic event. These statements were used to form the re-developed guidelines. Conclusion This study has resulted in a more comprehensive set of guidelines than the original version, with the endorsement of 103 helping actions, compared to 65 previously. The updated guidelines better represent the complexities of experiencing trauma and the considered approach required when providing first aid after a potentially traumatic event. The additional guidance on providing initial assistance, talking about the trauma, offering short-term assistance and seeking appropriate professional help reflects current knowledge. A notable addition is the inclusion of content on how a first aider can assist after a disclosure of abuse. The guidelines are available to the public and will inform future updates of Mental Health First Aid training courses.

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Offering mental health first aid to a person experiencing psychosis: a Delphi study to redevelop the guidelines published in 2008

BMC Psychology ◽

10.1186/s40359-021-00532-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Fairlie A. Cottrill ◽

Kathy S. Bond ◽

Fiona L. Blee ◽

Claire M. Kelly ◽

Betty A. Kitchener ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Delphi Study ◽

Online Survey ◽

First Aid ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Consensus Method ◽

Mental Health First Aid ◽

Delphi Consensus ◽

The Public ◽

Detailed Instruction

Abstract Background Psychotic illnesses can have a major impact on those who experience them. Timely treatment for psychosis is important and friends, family members and the public can be a facilitating factor in social support and professional help-seeking. Expert consensus guidelines on how to provide mental health first aid to a person experiencing psychosis were developed in 2008. This Delphi study aimed to redevelop the guidelines to reflect current evidence. Methods The Delphi consensus method was used to determine which helping strategies should be included in the redeveloped guidelines. A systematic search of grey and academic literature was undertaken to identify strategies on how a member of the public can assist someone experiencing psychosis. These strategies were organised into questionnaire statements. Two expert panels—one comprising people with lived experience (Carers and Consumers) and one of professionals—completed three consecutive rounds of online survey questionnaires to rate the importance of each helping statement for inclusion in the guidelines. Statements were included in the guidelines if they were endorsed by at least 80% of each panel. Results The expert panels rated 515 statements across three rounds of surveys, with 325 statements meeting the criteria for inclusion in the redeveloped guidelines. 59 panel participants completed all three surveys. Conclusions The redeveloped guidelines outline a general set of strategies for providing initial assistance to a person who is experiencing psychosis. Compared to the original guidelines, these redeveloped guidelines provide more detailed instruction for members of the public on how to provide mental health first aid to assist a person experiencing psychosis. The guidelines are available to the public and will be used to update the Mental Health First Aid courses.

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Guidelines for the public on how to provide mental health first aid: narrative review

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2018.58 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (6) ◽

pp. 427-440 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Anthony F. Jorm ◽

Anna M. Ross

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

First Aid ◽

Narrative Review ◽

Mental Health First Aid ◽

Mental Health Crisis ◽

Middle Income ◽

Health Crisis ◽

The Public ◽

For Profit ◽

Wide Range

BackgroundExpert-consensus guidelines have been developed for how members of the public should assist a person with a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.AimsThis review aimed to examine the range of guidelines that have been developed and how these have been implemented in practice.MethodA narrative review was carried out based on a systematic search for literature on the development or implementation of the guidelines.ResultsThe Delphi method has been used to develop a wide range of guidelines for English-speaking countries, Asian countries and a number of other cultural groups. The primary implementation has been through informing the content of training courses.ConclusionFurther work is needed on guidelines for low- and middle-income countries.Declaration of interestA.F.J. is an unpaid member of the Board of Mental Health First Aid International (trading as Mental Health First Aid Australia), which is a not-for-profit organisation.

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Mental health first aid responses of the public: results from an Australian national survey

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/1471-244x-5-9 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 89

Author(s):

Anthony F Jorm ◽

Kelly A Blewitt ◽

Kathleen M Griffiths ◽

Betty A Kitchener ◽

Ruth A Parslow

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

National Survey ◽

First Aid ◽

Mental Health First Aid ◽

The Public

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Evaluation of Mental Health First Aid training program in Bangladesh: A modified Delphi study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-491319/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Akib Ul Huque ◽

Umme Kawser ◽

Monira Rahman ◽

Shamini Gnani ◽

Mala Rao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Training Program ◽

Delphi Study ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Social Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

First Aid ◽

Mental Health First Aid ◽

Modified Delphi ◽

First Aid Training

Abstract BackgroundBangladesh, like other low-resource countries, faces a shortage of a trained mental health workforce to meet its population's mental health needs adequately. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated this. Mental health first aid (MHFA) is an internationally recognized training program that has been operating in Bangladesh since 2015. It offers a potential way to reduce the mental health treatment gap and skills shortage by training laypeople to help support individuals with mental health issues. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of MHFA training in Bangladesh. MethodsAn online modified Delphi study was conducted consisting of two rounds of a self-administered survey and a consensus workshop. A five-step logic framework was used to develop questionnaire statements (n=111) that consisted of 'general,' 'I,' and 'social impact' statements around the seven MHFA aims. The statements were constructed in English and adapted in Bangla. The expert panel consisted of 20 participants trained in the MHFA program. Participants anonymously stated their opinion on 111 round-1 statements and then on 27 low agreement statements in round-2. The consensus workshop facilitated a group discussion where participants explained their views on the low consensus items. ResultsThe consensus ranged from 61.5% (Aim 3: Promote recovery of good mental health) to 100% (Aim 7: To improve own health and well-being) with an overall consensus of 83.8%. 'Social impact' items produced the most (50%) disagreements. Participants' comments reflected 12 themes of MHFA's effectiveness in fostering and promoting mental health individually and socially. There were nine themes of disagreement reflecting individual, sociocultural, and political barriers to the implementation of MHFA in Bangladesh. Participants made recommendations for the MHFA and mental health initiatives in Bangladesh to increase mental health awareness, acceptance, and support in society.ConclusionMHFA training offers Bangladesh and other low-and-middle-income countries a potential solution to tackle mental health burden at individual and societal levels and the additional challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic poses to mental health.

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Offering mental health first aid to a person with depression: a Delphi study to re-develop the guidelines published in 2008

BMC Psychology ◽

10.1186/s40359-019-0310-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Kathy S. Bond ◽

Fairlie A. Cottrill ◽

Fiona L. Blee ◽

Claire M. Kelly ◽

Betty A. Kitchener ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Delphi Study ◽

First Aid ◽

Mental Health First Aid

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Re-development of mental health first aid guidelines for suicidal ideation and behaviour: a Delphi study

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-014-0241-8 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Anna M Ross ◽

Claire M Kelly ◽

Anthony F Jorm

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Delphi Study ◽

First Aid ◽

Mental Health First Aid

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Mental Health First aid Training: Review of Evaluation Studies

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1080/j.1440-1614.2006.01735.x ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

pp. 6-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 128

Author(s):

Betty A. Kitchener ◽

Anthony F. Jorm

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Evaluation Studies ◽

First Aid ◽

Mental Health First Aid ◽

The Public ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Helping Behaviours ◽

First Aid Training ◽

Helping Behaviour ◽

Cluster Randomized

Objective: To review studies evaluating mental health first aid (MHFA) training. Method: Review of three published trials: one uncontrolled with members of the public in a city, one randomized controlled efficacy trial in a workplace setting and one cluster randomized effectiveness trial with the public in a rural area. Results: Most mental health first aiders tend to be middle-aged women whose work involves people contact. All trials found the following statistically significant benefits 5– 6months post-training: improved concordance with health professionals about treatments, improved helping behaviour, greater confidence in providing help to others and decreased social distance from people with mental disorders. Only one trial evaluated the mental health benefits to participants and this found positive effects. Conclusions: Although MHFA training has been found to change knowledge, attitudes and helping behaviours, and even benefit the mental health of participants, there has not yet been an evaluation of the effects on those who are the recipients of the first aid.

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