[Literacy programs for the promotion of mental health in the school setting. SESPAS Report 2020]

Abstract

The World Health Organization emphasizes the importance of developing programs of mental health promotion and prevention to ensure the wellbeing of young people. Mental health literacy in schools is an example of universal prevention intervention. The objective of this article is to conduct a systematic review of the mental health literacy interventions in the educational setting that are being carried out at the international level and to describe and evaluate, as well, an experience at the local level. A search has been carried out in PubMed to identify experimental studies on mental health literacy interventions in the educational setting including primary and/or secondary. Out of 245 references identified, 13 experimental studies were included in the review and its quality was assessed. Results show that these programs increase mental health knowledge, improve help-seeking and reduce stigma behavior. In Barcelona, the Espaijove.net mental health literacy program has been running since 2008. In the last seven school courses (2012-2019) workshops have been provided to 24,118 secondary school students, of whom 11,678 completed a post-workshop satisfaction questionnaire. The results show that the program has been interesting, useful, has resolved students' doubts and that they would recommend it to other students, and a better reception by the girls.

Keywords: Adolescence; Adolescencia; Alfabetización; Childhood; Infancia; Literacy; Mental health; Prevención; Prevention; Programas; Programmes; Promoción; Promotion; Salud mental.