Critical life course interventions for children and adolescents to promote mental health

Laurenzi, Christina; Mamutse, Sihle; Marlow, Marguerite; Mawoyo, Tatenda; Katzen, Linnea Stansert; Carvajal, Liliana; Lai, Joanna; Luitel, Nagendra P.; Servili, Chiara; Sinha, Moitreyee; Skeen, Sarah

doi:10.1017/gmh.2022.58

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 78 publications

(98 reference statements)

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“…Further, the psychologists’ interpretation of observed changes in adolescents during the implementation period also highlights the intervention as impactful. The outcomes of this study align well with research on adolescents to promote healthy development and prevent mental health disorders [ 43 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

The Helping Hand in Ukraine: feasibility and potential impact

Raknes,

Chorna

2024

Pilot Feasibility Stud

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Background New services are needed to prevent the mental health consequences of the war in Ukraine. Ten adolescents self-recruited to use and evaluate the Ukrainian version of the Helping Hand (HH) in Odesa, Ukraine. From April to June 2023, they participated in a 10-session group program where they played the cognitive behavioral game app, shared stories, and engaged in activities to enhance their coping skills. Methods A mixed-method, quantitative–qualitative design was used to get insight into the feasibility and potential impact of the HH on Ukrainian adolescents’ mental health and well-being during the war. A questionnaire to the adolescents assessed the feasibility of the intervention; anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed before and after the intervention by a standardized and validated adolescent-completed questionnaire. An interview with the psychologist who implemented the intervention was used to interpret the data completed by the adolescents. Results Eight of 10 adolescents completed the HH intervention, and the psychologist found the HH helpful and culturally appropriate. The average anxiety and depression symptoms decreased from before the intervention (M = 20.4) to after (M = 15.0), showing a moderate effect size. Conclusion The results indicated that the HH has a high potential to prevent mental health consequences in Ukraine.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

The Helping Hand in Ukraine: feasibility and potential impact

Raknes,

Chorna

2024

Pilot Feasibility Stud

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“…Most notably, there is a lack of a theoretical base for SBMIs, a rationale for why the intervention should work (50,51), or a theory of how mindfulness programs work -what mechanisms interventions trigger that facilitate (or hinder/block) the intervention having the intended impact (51,52). Most notably, the evidence does not indicate what makes these programs work, how, where, with whom, and to what extent (26,37,53,54). Most theories assume that practicing mindfulness exercises bring about the observed changes (51,54,55) and that mindfulness is about changing the wiring of the brain and the psychology of individuals (55-57).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most notably, the evidence does not indicate what makes these programs work, how, where, with whom, and to what extent (26,37,53,54). Most theories assume that practicing mindfulness exercises bring about the observed changes (51,54,55) and that mindfulness is about changing the wiring of the brain and the psychology of individuals (55-57). However, constant conjunction does not explain how mindfulness works, and psychological theories of mindfulness are inadequate for explaining how interventions designed to promote mental wellbeing work.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A protocol for a critical realist synthesis of school mindfulness interventions designed to promote pupils’ mental wellbeing

Abbott,

Nixon,

Stanley

et al. 2024

Front. Public Health

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IntroductionThe review described in this protocol will be the first critical realist review of the literature reporting on the impact of school-based mindfulness interventions on the mental wellbeing of pupils. Mindfulness interventions are increasingly being introduced into schools to promote children’s (and teachers’) wellbeing. Findings from impact evaluations, including systematic reviews and metanalysis, suggest that school-based mindfulness interventions promote pupils’ wellbeing. However, there is a need for further evidence on the underlying causal mechanisms and contexts that explain program outcomes, to provide insight into how mindfulness programs can be successfully implemented in other contexts.Methods and analysisA critical realist review methodology will be used to provide a causal interdisciplinary understanding of how school-based mindfulness interventions promote the mental wellbeing of pupils. This will be done through a systematic literature review and extrapolating context, agency, intervention, mechanisms, and outcome configurations. This will enable an understanding of how, in certain contexts, pupils can use the resources offered by a mindfulness intervention knowingly or unknowingly to trigger mechanisms that promote their mental wellbeing and what mechanisms in the context support, restrict or prevent change. We will then use retrodiction and retroduction to develop the most plausible interdisciplinary middle-range theory to explain the findings.DiscussionThe review findings will inform a critical realist evaluation of a mindfulness intervention in schools. The findings from the review will also enable us to inform policymakers and other stakeholders about what conditions need to be in place for mindfulness interventions to promote pupils’ mental wellbeing. We will publish the findings from the review in academic and professional publications, policy briefs, workshops, conferences, and social media.PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023410484.

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