Kidger, J;
Stone, T;
Tilling, K;
Brockman, R;
Campbell, R;
Ford, T;
Hollingworth, W;
... Gunnell, D; + view all
(2016)
A pilot cluster randomised controlled trial of a support and training intervention to improve the mental health of secondary school teachers and students - the WISE (Wellbeing in Secondary Education) study.
BMC Public Health
, 16
, Article 1060. 10.1186/s12889-016-3737-y.
Preview |
Text (Published article)
Kidger_Pilot_cluster_randomised_controlled_trial.pdf - Published Version Download (1MB) | Preview |
Preview |
Text (Guidelines for Peer Supporters)
Kidger_Pilot_cluster_randomised_controlled_trial_S1.pdf Download (413kB) | Preview |
Preview |
Text (Summary of topics for qualitative data collection)
Kidger_Pilot_cluster_randomised_controlled_trial_S2.pdf Download (203kB) | Preview |
Preview |
Text (Vignettes)
Kidger_Pilot_cluster_randomised_controlled_trial_S3.pdf Download (96kB) | Preview |
Preview |
Text (Results of the main outcomes at follow up)
Kidger_Pilot_cluster_randomised_controlled_trial_S4.pdf Download (275kB) | Preview |
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Secondary school teachers are at heightened risk of psychological distress, which can lead to poor work performance, poor quality teacher-student relationships and mental illness. A pilot cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) – the WISE study – evaluated the feasibility of a full-scale RCT of an intervention to support school staff’s own mental health, and train them in supporting student mental health. METHODS: Six schools were randomised to an intervention or control group. In the intervention schools i) 8–9 staff received Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training and became staff peer supporters, and ii) youth MHFA training was offered to the wider staff body. Control schools continued with usual practice. We used thematic qualitative data analysis and regression modelling to ascertain the feasibility, acceptability and potential usefulness of the intervention. RESULTS: Thirteen training observations, 14 staff focus groups and 6 staff interviews were completed, and 438 staff (43.5 %) and 1,862 (56.3 %) students (years 8 and 9) completed questionnaires at baseline and one year later. MHFA training was considered relevant for schools, and trainees gained in knowledge, confidence in helping others, and awareness regarding their own mental health. Suggestions for reducing the length of the training and focusing on helping strategies were made. A peer support service was established in all intervention schools and was perceived to be helpful in supporting individuals in difficulty – for example through listening, and signposting to other services - and raising the profile of mental health at a whole school level. Barriers to use included lack of knowledge about the service, concerns about confidentiality and a preference for accessing support from pre-existing networks. CONCLUSIONS: The WISE intervention is feasible and acceptable to schools. Results support the development of a full-scale cluster RCT, if steps are taken to improve response rates and implement the suggested improvements to the intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number: ISRCTN13255300 retrospectively registered 28/09/16.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | A pilot cluster randomised controlled trial of a support and training intervention to improve the mental health of secondary school teachers and students - the WISE (Wellbeing in Secondary Education) study |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s12889-016-3737-y |
| Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3737-y |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author(s) 2016. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. |
| Keywords: | Teacher mental health; Mental health in schools; Adolescence; Wellbeing; Pilot randomised controlled trial |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Division of Psychiatry |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1521311 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
