The effectiveness of an online interdisciplinary intervention for mental health promotion: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background There is an urgent need for efficacious interventions to combat the global mental health crisis, and mental health promotion and primary prevention approaches are paramount. The aim of this study is to examine whether an online interdisciplinary intervention that incorporates evidence-based strategies from the disciplines of Lifestyle Medicine and Positive Psychology improves measures of mental health and emotional wellness. Methods A randomized controlled trial with a wait-list control (N = 425, aged 46.97 ± 14.5, 69.9% females) was conducted in Australia and New Zealand. The intervention group participated in a 10-week online interdisciplinary intervention. Primary outcome measures of mental health and emotional wellness were taken at baseline (Week 1), post-intervention (Week 12), and 12 weeks post-intervention (Week 24). The wait-list control completed the same assessments. Results General Linear Modelling analyses indicated that the intervention group experienced significantly greater improvements than the wait-list control group over time in all outcome measures: mental health (F(319) = 7.326, p = 0.007) and vitality (F(319) = 9.445, p = 0.002) subscales of the Short Form Survey (SF-36); depression (F(319) = 7.841, p = 0.005), anxiety (F(319) = 4.440, p = 0.36) and stress (F(319) = 12.494, p < 0.001) scales of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21); and life satisfaction (F(319) = 8.731, p = 0.003) as measured by the Satisfaction With Life Scale. Within the intervention group, significant improvements were observed from Week 1 to 12 in all outcome measures: mental health (10%, t(167) = − 6.423), p < 0.001, dz = 0.50), vitality (22%, t(167) = − 7.043, p < 0.001, dz = 0.54), depression (− 41%, t(167) = 6.189, p < 0.001, dz = 0.48), anxiety (− 38%, t(167) = 5.030, p < 0.001, dz = 0.39), stress (− 31%, t(167) = 6.702, p < 0.001, dz = 0.52) and life satisfaction (8%, t(167) = − 6.199, p < 0.001, dz = 0.48). Improvements in the outcome measures remained significant in the intervention group at 12 weeks post-intervention. Conclusion The online interdisciplinary intervention improved measures of mental health and emotional wellness suggesting that such interventions may be useful for mental health promotion and prevention. Trial registration The Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. ACTRN12619000993190. Registered on 12 July 2019 (Retrospectively registered). The ANZCTRN is part of the WHO Primary Registries.

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The effectiveness of an online multimodal intervention for mental health promotion: A randomised controlled trial

10.21203/rs.2.12991/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Geraldine Przybylko ◽

Darren Morton ◽

Lillian Kent ◽

Jason Morton ◽

Jason Hinze ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Mental Health Promotion ◽

Satisfaction With Life Scale ◽

Control Group ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Multimodal Intervention ◽

Sf 36 ◽

Emotional Wellness

Abstract Introduction There is an urgent need for efficacious interventions to combat the global mental health crisis, and mental health promotion and primary preventive approaches are paramount. Objective This study examined whether an online multimodal intervention that incorporates evidence-based strategies from the disciplines of Lifestyle Medicine and Positive Psychology improved measures of mental health and emotional wellness. Methods 425 adults (68.8% females, aged 46.5 ± 15.6) from Australia and New Zealand were randomised to an intervention or control group. The intervention group participated in a ten-week online multimodal intervention. Measures of mental health and emotional wellness were taken at baseline (Week 1), post-intervention (Week 12), and 12 weeks post-intervention (Week 24). The control group completed the same assessments. Results The intervention group experienced significant improvements from Week 1 to 12 in: mental health (10%, p<0.001, d=0.50) and vitality (22%, p<0.001, d=0.54) subscales of the Short Form Survey (SF-36); depression (-42%, p<0.001, d=0.48), anxiety (-38%, p<0.001, d=0.39) and stress (-31%, p<0.001, d=0.52) subscales of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21); and life satisfaction (8%, p<0.001, d=0.48) as measured by the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS).The control group experienced significant improvements only in the mental health (3%, p=0.028, d=0.16) subscale of the SF-36, and the stress subscale (-9%, p=0.038, d=0.15) of the DASS-21. The changes in the intervention group were significantly greater (p<0.001) than the control group for all measures. Improvements in the outcome measures were generally sustained for the intervention group at 12 weeks post-intervention. Conclusion The online multimodal intervention improved measures of mental health and emotional wellness suggesting that such interventions may be useful for mental health promotion and prevention.

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The effectiveness of an online multimodal intervention for mental health promotion: A randomised controlled trial

10.21203/rs.3.rs-22666/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Geraldine Przybylko ◽

Darren Morton ◽

Lillian Kent ◽

Jason Morton ◽

Jason Hinze ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Promotion ◽

New Zealand ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Mental Health Promotion ◽

Control Group ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Multimodal Intervention ◽

Sf 36 ◽

Emotional Wellness

Abstract Introduction: There is an urgent need for efficacious interventions to combat the global mental health crisis, and mental health promotion and primary preventive approaches are paramount. Objective: This study examined whether an online multimodal intervention that incorporates evidence-based strategies from the disciplines of Lifestyle Medicine and Positive Psychology improved measures of mental health and emotional wellness. Methods: 425 adults (68.8% females, aged 46.5 ± 15.6) from Australia and New Zealand were randomised to an intervention or control group. The intervention group participated in a ten-week online multimodal intervention. Measures of mental health and emotional wellness were taken at baseline (Week 1), post-intervention (Week 12), and 12 weeks post-intervention (Week 24). The control group completed the same assessments. Results: The intervention group experienced significant improvements from Week 1 to 12 in: mental health (10%, p < 0.001, d = 0.50) and vitality (22%, p < 0.001, d = 0.54) subscales of the Short Form Survey (SF-36); depression (-42%, p < 0.001, d = 0.48), anxiety (-38%, p < 0.001, d = 0.39) and stress (-31%, p < 0.001, d = 0.52) subscales of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21); and life satisfaction (8%, p < 0.001, d = 0.48) as measured by the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS).The control group experienced significant improvements only in the mental health (3%, p = 0.028, d = 0.16) subscale of the SF-36, and the stress subscale (-9%, p = 0.038, d = 0.15) of the DASS-21. The changes in the intervention group were significantly greater (p < 0.001) than the control group for all measures. Improvements in the outcome measures were generally sustained for the intervention group at 12 weeks post-intervention. Conclusion: The online multimodal intervention improved measures of mental health and emotional wellness suggesting that such interventions may be useful for mental health promotion and prevention. Trial registration: The Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12619000993190. Registered on 12 July 2019 (Retrospectively registered). The ANZCTRN is part of the WHO Primary Registries.

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A Digital Intervention to Alleviate Loneliness and Depression Among Older Persons During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.3347 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 933-934

Author(s):

Stav Shapira ◽

Ella Cohn-Schwartz ◽

Daphna Yeshua-Katz ◽

Limor Aharonson-Daniel ◽

A Mark Clarfield ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Control Group ◽

Wait List ◽

Wait List Control Group ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Wait List Control

Abstract Social distancing has been proven to be effective in reducing infections but may cause ill effects on the mental health of older adults. We evaluated the effects of a short-term virtual group intervention that provided tools to promote better coping, and mitigate adverse mental health effects during the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic. A Randomized controlled trial tested the effects of a guided intervention comprised of seven online group sessions in which cognitive-behavioral techniques targeting maladaptive beliefs and appraisals were learned and practiced via ZOOM. A total of 82 community-dwelling adults from Israel, aged between 65 - 90 were randomized to either an intervention group (n=64) or a wait-list control group (n=18). Loneliness (UCLA loneliness scale) and depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) were measured pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 1-month follow-up. The findings showed a significant decrease in loneliness and depression scores in the intervention group with results maintained at 1-month follow-up. There were no significant changes in the wait-list control group. In addition, ten participants (16%) from the intervention group demonstrated a clinically meaningful decrease in depression between baseline and post-intervention, and this was maintained among 7 participants (10%) at 1-month follow-up, compared to only 1 participant (5%) in the control group. Our intervention presents a simple and easy-to-implement tool. Its relevance extends beyond the current pandemic as the skills acquired can be applied in other forms of social crises and during routine life, in order to promote the mental health of older adults who live alone and/or reside in remote areas.

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Changes in Depression and Positive Mental Health Among Youth in a Healthy Relationships Program

Canadian Journal of School Psychology ◽

10.1177/0829573518777154 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 34 (4) ◽

pp. 300-316 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Natalia Lapshina ◽

Claire V. Crooks ◽

Amanda Kerry

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Latent Class ◽

Mental Health Promotion ◽

Positive Mental Health ◽

Health Promotion Program ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Healthy Relationships ◽

Health Strategy

Mental health promotion programming in schools and community settings is an important part of a comprehensive mental health strategy. The goal of this study was to identify and explore meaningful classes of youth based on their pre- and post-intervention depression symptoms scores with 722 youth involved in a 15-week healthy relationships and mental health promotion program. We utilized latent class growth analysis to identify depression class trajectories, controlling for group clustering effects. A three-class solution identified high decreasing, moderate stable, and low stable trajectories. Gender, age, and reported experience of bullying victimization predicted trajectory class membership. The low stable class trajectory was associated with the highest positive mental health, followed by the moderate stable and the high decreasing trajectories. These results suggest that youth with the highest depression scores showed significant improvement in symptomatology over the course of the program.

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Effects of a mental health promotion intervention on mental health of Iranian female adolescents: a school-based study

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health ◽

10.1186/s13034-020-00342-6 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Haleh Heizomi ◽

Hamid Allahverdipour ◽

Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi ◽

Devender Bhalla ◽

Haidar Nadrian

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Life Satisfaction ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Poor Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Promotion ◽

Female Adolescents ◽

School Based ◽

And Control

Abstract Background Poor mental health is common among adolescents. Given the increasing burden of poor mental health among adolescents in developing countries, it seems necessary to identify the effective interventions. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a school-based mental health promotion program (SMHPP) on mental health parameters among female adolescents in Tabriz, Iran. Method In this experimental study, a random sample of female high-school students of grade nine was recruited. The subjects were then randomly allocated to intervention (n = 145) and control (n = 139) groups. The three-stage SMHPP was designed based on the shortages and unmet needs of the students as reported in the pretest stage. All subjects in the intervention group were provided with a stress management skill training program of six sessions using McNamara Model. Coincided with making environmental changes, a joyful intervention program was carried out. After 2 months, post-test data were collected. Results A total of 284 students completed their participation in the study. The groups did not differ in none of socio-demographic characteristics and mental health parameters, at baseline. The number of subjects reporting medium-level of happiness was increased by 32.6% among intervention group. Moreover, upon sign test and pre-post comparison, the group-wise distribution changed between the intervention and control groups for the parameters of life satisfaction (p ≤ 0.001) and psychological well-being (p ≤ 0.01). Conclusion The implementation of SMHPP as a low-cost, needs-based and multifaceted program, showed promise in promoting adolescents’ mental health, particularly in the parameters of happiness, life satisfaction and psychological well-being. This was an important evidence for the development and implementation of interventions and policies in the field of mental health promotion among adolescents. Our work provided means for reducing burden of poor mental health among adolescents in a non-western cultural context. Further larger studies are required to evaluate the effectiveness of such school-based mental health promotion interventions in students.

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