A Matched Control Trial of a Mental Health Literacy Intervention for Parents in Community Sports Clubs

Publication Name

Child Psychiatry and Human Development

Abstract

This controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of a mental health literacy intervention for parents delivered through community sport clubs. In total, 540 parents (321 females, 219 males) of adolescent athletes participated in a brief educational workshop on youth mental health (n = 352) or a community-matched control group (n = 188). Generalised linear mixed models revealed no significant improvements in the intervention group compared to control in the primary mental health literacy outcomes, at 1 month follow-up. However, parents in the intervention group were more likely to seek formal help for themselves, had increased confidence and knowledge to help someone experiencing a mental health disorder, experienced reduced psychological distress, and perceived more support from other parents in their sport club, relative to the control group. Overall, the findings suggest that a brief educational intervention delivered through community sports clubs can positively affect some components of parents’ mental health literacy.

Open Access Status

This publication is not available as open access

Volume

52

Issue

1

First Page

141

Last Page

153

Funding Number

The Australian Mental Health Initiative 2014

Funding Sponsor

Movember Foundation

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Link to publisher version (DOI)

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10578-020-00998-3