"Youth Aware of Mental Health" in Galicia

Summary

The goal of this interventional study is to assess the effectiveness of the universal suicide prevention program "Youth Aware of Mental Health" in 3rd-year secondary education students in Galicia.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Is the YAM program effective in reducing severe suicidal ideation at 12 months from baseline within the experimental group and compared to the control group?
* Is the YAM program effective in preventing the incidence of new suicidal attempts, 12 months from baseline in the experimental group compared to the control group?

All participants in this study will be asked to:

Complete a survey at baseline and after 12 months, consisting of measures for suicidal ideation and behavior, depressive symptoms, seeking help behaviors, bullying, problematic internet use, and emotional distress.

Only those allocated to the experimental group will be asked to:

Undergo the YAM program, an evidence-based intervention structured into five one-hour class group sessions (45-50 min.), focused on problem-solving by peers. The program consists of interactive presentations, dilemma discussions, role-playing, and reflection, all moderated by a trained YAM instructor.

Twelve months after the intervention, all participants will undergo a re-evaluation using the same protocol. The researchers will compare differences in pre- and post-measures within the experimental and control groups, as well as between both groups, to assess the impact of the YAM intervention on outcomes such as suicidal ideation and attempts.

At the end of the study, those who were allocated to the control group are going to be offered the YAM intervention program.

Conditions

• Suicide Awareness
• Suicidal Ideation
• Suicide, Attempted
• Depressive Symptoms
• Help-Seeking Behavior
• Bullying
• Cyberbullying

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Youth Aware of Mental Health in Galicia

The program follows a manualized protocol, comprising five interactive one-hour class sessions with adaptations to the Galician school population. The Inaugural Session consists of an interactive slide presentation, an introduction of materials, the delivery of the manual, and the poster's display. The Second Session involves group discussions on real-life dilemmas. The Third and Fourth Sessions focus on crisis situations, depression, suicidal ideation, and help-seeking behaviors through role-playing games. The Closing Session includes a collective summary of topics and addresses dynamic aspects emerging during the group experience.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Fundacin Biomedica Galicia Sur

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Alejandro García Caballero · Servizo Galego de Saude

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

13 Years

Max Age

16 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-02-02

Primary Completion

2024-06-15

Completion

2025-06-15

Countries

• Spain

Study Locations