The impact of a mental health teaching programme on rural and urban secondary school students' perceptions of mental illness in southwest Nigeria.

Journal: Journal of child and adolescent mental health

Volume: 26

Issue: 3

Year of Publication: 2015

Affiliated Institutions:  a Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine , University of Ibadan, University College Hospital , Ibadan , Nigeria.

Abstract summary 

Available evidence suggests that children hold negative views about mental illness. Studies show that it is possible for schools and mental health services to jointly undertake child and adolescent mental health promotion. This study aimed to assess the impact of a school based mental health awareness programme aimed at increasing mental health literacy and reducing negative views about persons with mental illness.A total of 154 secondary school students in Ibadan, southwest Nigeria, were allocated into an intervention and a control group. Students in the intervention group received a three-hour mental health awareness session. All students completed a pre-, immediate post, and six month post-intervention questionnaire on their views about mental health and illness.There was a significant difference in the mean knowledge scores between the intervention and the control group post-intervention, but no significant differences in attitude and social distance scores.Brief training workshops appear able to produce small but positive changes in the mental health knowledge of young Nigerians.

Authors & Co-authors:  Bella-Awusah Tolulope T Adedokun Babatunde B Dogra Nisha N Omigbodun Olayinka O

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations : 
Authors :  4
Identifiers
Doi : 10.2989/17280583.2014.922090
SSN : 1728-0591
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Adolescent
Other Terms
Study Design
Case Control Trial,Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Country of Study
Niger
Publication Country
South Africa