TY - JOUR
T1 - “We’re not educated on that enough, and we really should be”: adolescents’ views of mental health service education
AU - Goodwin, John
AU - Savage, Eileen
AU - O’Brien, Niamh
AU - O’Donovan, Áine
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2023/8/28
Y1 - 2023/8/28
N2 - Purpose: Despite the susceptibility to the experience of mental distress during adolescence, this population often demonstrate poor help-seeking behaviours. Efforts have been made by schools to address adolescents’ knowledge around mental health; less focus has been given to addressing their knowledge of mental health services and avenues for help-seeking. This study aimed to explore adolescents’ views of mental health services education. Methods: An interpretive descriptive design was adopted. Thirty adolescents from Ireland participated in individual interviews. Data were analysed using content analysis. Two themes were identified: Recognizing Gaps in Knowledge about Mental Health Service Education, and Enhancing Mental Health Service Education for Young People. Participants reported gaps in their knowledge about mental health services and were uncertain how to access help. Current strategies (e.g., print media) were considered tokenistic and ineffective; instead, multimedia (film/TV) approaches were recommended. Results: Two themes were identified: Recognizing Gaps in Knowledge about Mental HealthService Education, and Enhancing Mental Health Service Education for YoungPeople. Participants reported gaps in their knowledge about mental healthservices and were uncertain how to access help. Current strategies (e.g., print media) were considered tokenistic and ineffective; instead, multimedia (film/TV) approaches were recommended. Conclusions: Current mental health education programmes need to expand their focus beyond social/emotional well-being, providing adolescents with the knowledge they need to access appropriate supports. Considering traditional print media was viewed as ineffective, while film/TV had an influence on perceptions of mental health services, a multimedia approach to education may be an effective way of engaging this population.
AB - Purpose: Despite the susceptibility to the experience of mental distress during adolescence, this population often demonstrate poor help-seeking behaviours. Efforts have been made by schools to address adolescents’ knowledge around mental health; less focus has been given to addressing their knowledge of mental health services and avenues for help-seeking. This study aimed to explore adolescents’ views of mental health services education. Methods: An interpretive descriptive design was adopted. Thirty adolescents from Ireland participated in individual interviews. Data were analysed using content analysis. Two themes were identified: Recognizing Gaps in Knowledge about Mental Health Service Education, and Enhancing Mental Health Service Education for Young People. Participants reported gaps in their knowledge about mental health services and were uncertain how to access help. Current strategies (e.g., print media) were considered tokenistic and ineffective; instead, multimedia (film/TV) approaches were recommended. Results: Two themes were identified: Recognizing Gaps in Knowledge about Mental HealthService Education, and Enhancing Mental Health Service Education for YoungPeople. Participants reported gaps in their knowledge about mental healthservices and were uncertain how to access help. Current strategies (e.g., print media) were considered tokenistic and ineffective; instead, multimedia (film/TV) approaches were recommended. Conclusions: Current mental health education programmes need to expand their focus beyond social/emotional well-being, providing adolescents with the knowledge they need to access appropriate supports. Considering traditional print media was viewed as ineffective, while film/TV had an influence on perceptions of mental health services, a multimedia approach to education may be an effective way of engaging this population.
KW - Adolescents
KW - education
KW - help-seeking
KW - interpretive description
KW - mental health
KW - mental health education
KW - mental health services
KW - qualitative
KW - school mental health
KW - young people
KW - Humans
KW - Mental Health
KW - Emotions
KW - Mental Health Services
KW - Adolescent
KW - Schools
KW - Health Education
UR - https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2023.2249287
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85168984259&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/17482631.2023.2249287
DO - 10.1080/17482631.2023.2249287
M3 - Article
C2 - 37639463
VL - 18
SP - 2249287
JO - International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being
JF - International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being
IS - 1
M1 - 2249287
ER -