Towards school-based mental health programs in Nigeria: the immediate impact of a depression-literacy program among school-going adolescents and their teachers.

Journal: Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health

Volume: 16

Issue: 1

Year of Publication: 

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Behavioral Medicine, Lagos State University College of Medicine Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. draromedics@yahoo.com. Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Center for Creativity and Entrepreneurial Studies, Dominican University Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Department of Psychology, Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye, Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria. Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. Adolescent Wellness, Inc, Naples, FL, USA.

Abstract summary 

Depression-literacy, which is the foundational requirement for symptom recognition, positive attitude and help-seeking, is poor among adolescents in Nigeria. This study, therefore, aims to determine the impact of a school-based training program on depression-literacy among a cohort of high-school students and their teachers in South-West Nigeria.An adapted version of the Break Free from Depression, a 4-module depression awareness curriculum for staff and students, was implemented among students and their teachers. Paired-sample T-test was used to assess the domain-specific (knowledge, attitude, and confidence) impact of the training by comparing the baseline and immediate (within the week of the training) post-scores.A total of 3098 students and 294 teachers from 21 schools across three states in South-West Nigeria successfully completed the training. There was a significant positive difference (p < 0.05), at post-test, in the knowledge, attitude, and confidence among the students. The same was observed among teachers except for attitude where positive change did not reach significant level (p = 0.06). When statistically significant, the calculated effect size (eta squared) was highest for knowledge (students: 0.07, p = 0.001; teachers: 0.08, p < 0.000) and least for attitude (students: 0.003, p = 0.002 teachers: 0.085, p = 0.06). Multiple regression analyses result showed that the level of pre-scores predicted the magnitude of change in all domains of depression-literacy (p < 0.05) after controlling for age, gender, and type of school among the students, but not for teachers.School-based depression-literacy programs can lead to significant positive change in knowledge, attitude, and confidence of students and teachers.

Authors & Co-authors:  Atilola Olayinka O Ayinde Olatunde O Obialo Felix-Kingsley FK Adeyemo Sunday Oladotun SO Adegbaju Dapo D Anthony Robert R

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations :  Baranne ML, Falissard B. Global burden of mental disorders among children aged 5–14 years. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2018;12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5896103/. Accessed 9 Jul 2020.
Authors :  6
Identifiers
Doi : 70
SSN : 1753-2000
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Other Terms
Adolescents;Depression;Depression literacy;School mental-health
Study Design
Cohort Study,Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Country of Study
Niger
Publication Country
England