Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT06035770

The Effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid Intervention Among Undergraduate Students in Switzerland

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an educational training program which has been proven effective at increasing knowledge, improving attitudes and reducing the stigma of mental illness among individuals/the general population. Although MHFA has proven effective world-wide, no study has examined the effectiveness of MHFA in Switzerland and very few studies have examined the long-term effects of MHFA and how they might be influenced by cultural differences. This study is a randomized control trial (RCT) that examines the effectiveness of a 12-hour MHFA training program that aims to improve undergraduate students' knowledge of, behaviours towards mental illness and to reduce stigmatization towards mental illness. All participants were 2nd-year students and they were randomly assigned either to an intervention group that would receive the MHFA training course or to a control group without any intervention during the study period. However, the control group had the option to receive the MHFA course after the 12 months of study follow-up was completed. Both groups were assessed at three time points: T0: Baseline survey from mid-September to October 2019, completed by both groups.

Intervention: MHFA training program from October 2019-December 2019. T1: Post-intervention with first follow-up survey three months after the MHFA training intervention completed by both groups (from March to May 2020). T2: Follow-up 12 months after the MHFA/ensa training intervention in December 2020 and completed by both groups.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Preventative Medicine

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

La Source, School of Nursing Sciences, HES-SO University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland.

Lausanne, Canton of Vaud, 1004, Switzerland

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • 2nd year undergraduate students from universities of applied science in Lausanne and Yverdon-les-Bains.
  • ≥18 years old.

Exclusion criteria

  • Working and part-time students.

Treatment and study plan

Mental Health First Aid (educational training program)

Other

The MHFA program is a 12-hour face-to-face training program delivered in four sessions of three hours each across four consecutive weeks by two accredited MHFA instructors. The class was administered in small groups with a maximum of 10-15 students.The program included didactic lectures and "role playing" to teach students how to recognize and react to the signs and symptoms of mental health illness. Participants enrolled in the intervention group received an accompanying manual with content that covered helping people in mental health crises and/or the early stages of mental health problems.

The mental health problems addressed during the training session included depressive symptoms, anxiety, psychotic disorders, and substance use disorders. The mental health crisis situations included suicidal thoughts/attempts and behaviors, acute stress reactions,panic attacks, and acute psychotic behaviors.

Primary outcomes

  1. Level of knowledge-(changes were assessed at 3 and 12 months)

    Time frame: 3 months; 12 months

    to measure participants' ability to identify a mental health problem and answer questions based on the content of the MHFA course. Changes of knowledge level before and after the MHFA intervention are also assessed.

  2. Level of attitudes pertaining to mental illness (changes were assessed at 3 and 12 months)

    Time frame: 3 months; 12 months

    to measure changes of participants' level of stigmatization and social distance toward mental illness. Changes of before and after the intervention are also assessed.

  3. behaviors toward mental illness (changes are assessed at 3 and 12 months))

    Time frame: 3 months; 12 months

    to measure participants' confidence and intention to provide help and the changes before and after the MHFA are also assessed.

Secondary outcomes

  1. mental health-quality of life (changes were assessed assessed at 3 and 12 months)

    Time frame: 3 months; 12 months

    Quality of life using Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) and change of quality of life were assessed.

  2. mental health-depression (changes were assessed at 3 and 12 months)

    Time frame: 3 months; 12 months

    Depression symptoms ( using Patient Health Questionnaire (Brief PHQ-9) and change of depression symptoms were assessed.

  3. change of mental health-anxiety

    Time frame: 3 months; 12 months

    Anxiety symptom (using Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7) and changes of anxiety symptoms were assessed.

  4. change of mental health-ADHD symptoms

    Time frame: 3 months; 12 months

    ADHD symptoms were assessed using 'ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS)' Screener and the change of ADHD symptoms was also assessed.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Institut et Haute Ecole de la Santé la Source

Other

Collaborators

  • HEIG-VD- Haute Ecole d'Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud

Registry information

Official study title

The Effectiveness of Ensa - Mental Health First Aid Training on Knowledge and Mental Health of Undergraduate Students in Switzerland: a Randomised Control Trial.

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2020
First posted
Sep 13, 2023
Registry last updated
Sep 13, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.