9.L. Workshop: Mental health literacy in schools: new insights from key European studies across populations

Abstract

Background

Good mental health is important for better population health outcomes and improved quality of life in societies, while poor mental health and mental disorders have not only negative health effects but are also responsible for increased health care costs and burden of disease. Increased prevalence rates of mental health problems, severity of mental illnesses and associated disability and mortality rates are considered alarming, making poor mental health a threat to population health and European public health. These circumstances together have resulted in an increased attention towards mental health in European and global public health. Mental health promotion in schools, at the workplace and everyday life has become an important tool to improve psychological and psychosocial health outcomes and increase mental well-being. In this context, mental health literacy, too, has become an important public health target. Mental health literacy is linked to health literacy but in addition includes an individual's capacities and resources that enable them to actively promote their mental health and mental well-being, including improved mental health knowledge, help-seeking strategies, and less stigmatizing attitudes. In particular it is defined as understanding how to sustain and maintain positive mental health, understanding mental disorders and their different treatments options, decreasing mental health related stigma, and enhancing people's help-seeking efficacy. As a concept, mental health literacy was coined in the 1990s, but in particular recent developments in digital communication technologies, digital health, the Internet and Social Media as well as the Covid-19 pandemic have accelerated its uptake in public health research, practice and policy.

Workshop objectives

The aim of this workshop is to: (1) present current research projects and their findings on mental health literacy in schools from 3 different European countries (Germany, Portugal, France), (2) shed light on the critical importance of mental health literacy promotion in all settings and (3) initiate a critical discussion on concepts, methods and intervention concerning mental health literacy. The 1st presentation will introduce the WhySchool project, a mental health training program for teachers, school health professionals, and students (Portugal). The 2nd presentation will present a mental health literacy school intervention for students and teachers, the Guide (Germany). The 3rd presentation will introduce a novel tool to measure child mental health literacy (France). The 4th presentation will introduce a digital tool to promote mental health literacy of school-children. The format of this workshop will be 4 x 7 minute presentations followed by a 20 minute interactive panel discussion with the presenters.

Key messages

• This workshop will shed light on mental health literacy promotion based on contemporary European studies.

• Mental health literacy is important for positive mental health and should be addressed as early as in schools and supported by public health policy-making.