The Inquiring Mind Youth: Analysis of a Mental Health Promotion and Stigma Reduction Pilot Program for Secondary Students

• Published in: Journal of child and family studies 2024-09, Vol.33 (9), p.2900-2918
• Main Authors: Szeto, Andrew C. H., Lindsay, Brittany L., Bernier, Emily, Henderson, Laura, Mercer, Susan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescents; Attitudes; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Child and School Psychology; Health promotion; Help seeking behavior; Mental health; Mental Health Programs; Mental health promotion; Original Paper; Pilot projects; Program Development; Psychology; Resilience; Secondary schools; Social Sciences; Sociology; Stigma; Workplaces; Youth
• ISSN: 1062-1024; 1573-2843
• DOI: 10.1007/s10826-024-02839-6

Whilst adolescence is often discussed as a challenging time, it is also a stage of life with tremendous potential for building positive skills that will support current and future mental health. This paper presents results from a pilot study of a mental health and stigma reduction program called The Inquiring Mind Youth , which is based on a series of programs that have previously demonstrated effectiveness in adult and workplace samples. The program was developed in collaboration with experts and youth and piloted in nine secondary schools across Canada (Calgary area and Eastern Coast). Data from 293 adolescent participants were collected using a pre-post-follow-up design. An overall medium effect size was found for both improved resilience skills ( SMD  = 0.49) and decreased stigmatizing attitudes ( SMD  = 0.38) pre-post program. An additional multi-level modelling analysis also showed improved resilience skills and decreased stigmatizing attitudes pre-post program, with more robust shifts in one geographic region (Calgary area). Further analysis showed that resilience improvements were retained at follow-up, with smaller effects. The results of this pilot study support ongoing work and development of programming that aims to foster resilience and reduce stigmatizing attitudes in young people. Highlights A novel mental health promotion and stigma reduction program ( The Inquiring Mind Youth ) was developed and piloted in Canadian schools. Participants showed increased resilience skills, decreased stigmatizing attitudes, and increased willingness to seek help after participating in the program. Males saw more improvements than females on resilience, while the opposite was found with stigmatizing attitudes, with females decreasing significantly more. Results support efforts in program development aimed at fostering resilience and reducing stigmatizing attitudes in youth.