scholarly journals Talking about suicide: An uncontrolled trial of the effects of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health first aid program on knowledge, attitudes and intended and actual assisting actions

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0244091
Author(s):  
Gregory Armstrong ◽  
Georgina Sutherland ◽  
Eliza Pross ◽  
Andrew Mackinnon ◽  
Nicola Reavley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Mental Health First Aid ◽  
Culturally Appropriate ◽  
Training Course ◽  
Uncontrolled Trial ◽  
Suicidal Person ◽  
Torres Strait

Objective Suicide is a leading cause of death among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Friends, family and frontline workers (for example, teachers, youth workers) are often best positioned to provide initial assistance if someone is at risk of suicide. We developed culturally appropriate expert consensus guidelines on how to provide mental health first aid to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviour and used this as the basis for a 5-hour suicide gatekeeper training course called Talking About Suicide. This paper describes the outcomes for participants in an uncontrolled trial of this training course. Methods We undertook an uncontrolled trial of the Talking About Suicide course, delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid instructors to 192 adult (i.e. 18 years of age or older) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (n = 110) and non-Indigenous (n = 82) participants. Questionnaires capturing self-report outcomes were self-administered immediately before (n = 192) and after attending the training course (n = 188), and at four-months follow-up (n = 98). Outcome measures were beliefs about suicide, stigmatising attitudes, confidence in ability to assist, and intended and actual actions to assist a suicidal person. Results Despite a high level of suicide literacy among participants at pre-course measurement, improvements at post-course were observed in beliefs about suicide, stigmatising attitudes, confidence in ability to assist and intended assisting actions. While attrition at follow-up decreased statistical power, some improvements in beliefs about suicide, stigmatising attitudes and intended assisting actions remained statistically significant at follow-up. Importantly, actual assisting actions taken showed dramatic improvements between pre-course and follow-up. Participants reported feeling more confident to assist a suicidal person after the course and this was maintained at follow-up. The course was judged to be culturally appropriate by those participants who identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders. Implications The results of this uncontrolled trial were encouraging, suggesting that the Talking About Suicide course was able to improve participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and intended assisting actions as well as actual actions taken.

scholarly journals Teen Mental Health First Aid for years 7–9: a description of the program and an initial evaluation

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura M. Hart ◽  
Kathy S. Bond ◽  
Amy J. Morgan ◽  
Alyssia Rossetto ◽  
Fairlie A. Cottrill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
High School Students ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Mental Health First Aid ◽  
School Students ◽  
Training Course ◽  
Uncontrolled Trial ◽  
Post Test

Abstract Background A teen Mental Health First Aid training course for high school students in years 10–12 (tMHFA 10–12) has previously been evaluated in uncontrolled and randomized controlled trials and found to improve Mental Health First Aid intentions, mental health literacy and to reduce stigma. This 3 × 75-min course has more recently been adapted for younger students in years 7–9 (tMHFA 7–9). The present study reports an initial uncontrolled trial of this new training course which aimed to assess feasibility and acceptability of the course and test effects on knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. Methods An uncontrolled trial was carried out in five schools with measures taken at pre-test, post-test and 3-month follow-up. The outcomes measured were: quality of first aid intentions to help peers, confidence in helping, stigmatising attitudes, recognition of anxiety disorder, number of adults thought to be helpful, help-seeking intentions, quality of support provided to a peer, quality of support received, and psychological distress. Questions were also asked about satisfaction with the course. Results There were 475 students (mean age 13.86 years) who provided data at baseline, with 76% of these providing data at post-test and 75% at follow-up. Sustained changes at follow-up were found for: number of adults thought to be helpful, some components of stigma, recognition of anxiety disorder, and quality of support provided to a peer. However, there was an unexpected decline in willingness to tell others about a mental health problem. Most students found the information presented to be new, easy to understand, and useful. Conclusions The tMHFA 7–9 training course produced some positive changes that were sustained over 3 months. However, the changes were not as strong as previously found for older high school students, suggesting the need for further refinement of the course.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mental Health First Aid Program

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Day ◽  
Sharon Casey ◽  
Mercy Baird ◽  
Lynore Geia ◽  
Rosemary Wanganeen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Mental Health First Aid ◽  
Torres Strait

scholarly journals Effects of the Mental Health First Aid for the suicidal person course on beliefs about suicide, stigmatising attitudes, confidence to help, and intended and actual helping actions: an evaluation

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathy S. Bond ◽  
Fairlie A. Cottrill ◽  
Andrew Mackinnon ◽  
Amy J. Morgan ◽  
Claire M. Kelly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Mixed Models ◽  
Linear Mixed Models ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Mental Health First Aid ◽  
Helping Behaviours ◽  
Suicidal Person

Abstract Background Suicide is a significant concern in Australia and globally. There is a strong argument for training community gatekeepers in how to recognise and support suicidal people in their social network. One such training course is the Mental Health First Aid for the Suicidal Person course. This course was developed using suicide prevention best practice guidelines based on expert opinion (determined using the Delphi Method). Methods We evaluated the impact of attending the Mental Health First Aid for the Suicidal Person course on suicide literacy and stigma, confidence in and quality of intended and actual helping behaviours towards a person who is suicidal, and course satisfaction. Surveys were administered before and immediately after the course, and at 6-month follow-up. Data were analysed to yield descriptive statistics (percentages, means, standard deviations), with linear mixed models and generalized linear mixed models being used to test the statistical significance of changes over occasions of measurement. Results We recruited 284 participants from workplaces and general community networks. The mean age was 41 years and 74% were female. 85% of people undertook the course as part of professional development, and almost half (44%) did the course because they had contact with a suicidal person. The majority (59%) of participants had previous mental health and suicide prevention training. The majority of participants held knowledge (suicide literacy) before undertaking the course. The major effect of training was to strengthen this knowledge. There was a significant improvement from pre-course (M = 1.79, SD 0.56) to post-course (M = 1.48, SD 0.82, p < 0.0001), which was maintained at follow-up (M = 1.51, SD 0.49, p < 0.0001). Confidence in gatekeeper skills significantly improved after the course and at follow-up (M = 3.15, SD 0.95 before the course to M = 4.02, SD 0.68 afterward and 3.87, SD 0.77 at follow-up, p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, respectively). The quality of intended helping behaviours significantly improved from pre-course (intended actions M = 4.28, SD 0.58) and to post-course (M = 4.70, SD 0.50, p < 0.0001) and were maintained at follow-up (M = 4.64, SD 0.41, p < 0.0001). There was significant improvement in some of the actions taken by participants to help a suicidal person from pre-course to post-course (e.g. asking about suicidal thoughts and plan, contacting emergency services). The course was highly acceptable to participants. Conclusion These results indicate that this course is an acceptable intervention that delivers a broad spectrum of beneficial outcomes to community and workplace gatekeepers.

scholarly journals Delivery of a Mental Health First Aid training package and staff peer support service in secondary schools: A process evaluation of uptake and fidelity of the WISE intervention

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harriet Fisher ◽  
Sarah Harding ◽  
Sarah Bell ◽  
Lauren Copeland ◽  
Rhiannon Evans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Support Service ◽  
Mental Health First Aid ◽  
Training Package ◽  
Mental Health Awareness ◽  
The One ◽  
Peer Support Service

Abstract Background: Improving children and young people’s provision for mental health is a current health priority in England. Secondary school teachers have worse mental health outcomes than the general working population, which the Wellbeing in Secondary Education (WISE) cluster randomised controlled trial aimed to improve. The WISE intervention comprised a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training package to at least 16 percent of staff, a short mental health awareness session to all teachers, and development of a staff peer-support service. Twenty-five schools were randomised to intervention or control arms. This paper reports findings regarding the extent of uptake and fidelity of the intervention, drawn from a wider process evaluation reported elsewhere. Methods: Mixed methods data collection comprised researcher observations of training delivery, training participant evaluation forms, trainer and peer supporter interviews, peer supporter feedback meetings, logs of support provided, and teacher questionnaires. Quantitative data were summarised descriptively, while thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data. Results: In the 12 schools assigned to the intervention arm, 113 (8.6%) staff completed the two-day standard MHFA training course, and a further 146 (11.1%) staff completed the one-day MHFA for Schools and Colleges training. In seven (58.3%) schools the required eight percent of staff completed the MHFA training packages. A one-hour mental health awareness raising session was attended by 666 (54.5%) staff. Delivery of the MHFA training package was achieved with high levels of fidelity and quality across schools. All schools set up the peer-support service following training, with a majority adhering to most of the operational guidelines developed from the pilot study at the outset. Teachers reported limited use of the peer support service during follow-up. At the one year follow up, only three (25.0%) schools indicated they had re-advertised the service and there was evidence of a reduction in support from senior leadership. Conclusion: The MHFA training package was delivered with reasonably high fidelity, and a staff peer support service was established with general, but not complete, adherence to guidelines. In some schools insufficient staff received MHFA training and levels of delivery of the peer support service compromised intervention dose and reach.

scholarly journals Mental Health First Aid guidelines for helping a suicidal person: a Delphi consensus study in the Philippines

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erminia Colucci ◽  
Claire M Kelly ◽  
Harry Minas ◽  
Anthony F Jorm ◽  
Dinah Nadera
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
First Aid ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Mental Health First Aid ◽  
Delphi Consensus ◽  
Suicidal Person
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