"Youth Aware of Mental Health" in Galicia

Launched by FUNDACIN BIOMEDICA GALICIA SUR · Feb 1, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This study in Galicia, Spain tests whether a school-based program called Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM) can help prevent serious suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among teenagers. It is a large, randomized trial in many secondary schools, where each school is assigned to either receive the YAM program or to continue with usual teaching (no extra program) during the study. The intervention group will take part in five one-hour, interactive sessions led by trained instructors; the control group will not receive YAM during the study but will be offered it after the study ends.

Eligible participants are 13 to 16-year-old students in 3rd-year secondary education at participating centers. Parents must give permission, and students aged 12 or older give assent. All students will complete surveys at the start and 12 months later to measure suicidal thoughts and behaviors, mood/depression, willingness to seek help, bullying, and related factors. The main goals are to see if YAM reduces severe suicidal ideation and prevents new suicide attempts compared with schools not receiving the program. Results are not yet available, as the trial is ongoing.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Being a 3rd-year secondary education student at one of the participating school centers
• • To be between 13 and 16 years old
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Not meeting the inclusion criteria
• • Note: The YAM is a universal prevention program, therefore, there are no exclusion criteria. Cases with a history of previous suicide attempts (evaluated by the Paykel Scale) in the initial survey will be excluded from the analysis. However, these students will receive the same intervention as the rest of the students. The YAM is not a treatment program and does not aim to demonstrate its efficacy in cases already diagnosed with mental disorders, but it does not exclude individuals with these problems from any potential benefits that participation in the program may have.