Impact of a workshop on motivation to pursue a career in child and adolescent mental health.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to determine whether a 3 h workshop on child and adolescent mental health positively influenced nursing, occupational therapy and social work students' career intentions.


METHODS
Students participating in the study were asked to complete a questionnaire before and after attending the workshop and again at follow up. Post-workshop students and their educators were also asked to complete a questionnaire on the perceived quality of teaching. Career intentions scores were analysed using generalized mixed linear models. The quality of teaching data was analysed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-tests.


RESULTS
The workshops were attended by 373 students and had an immediate positive impact on students' career intentions in relation to child and adolescent mental health. A repeated measures analysis showed an overall time effect (F(2,546)=16.29, p <0.0001). A multiple comparison test of this difference showed a highly significant positive increase in career intentions between pre-workshop and post-workshop ratings (p <0.0001), and the magnitude of this difference dropped between post-workshop assessment and follow up (p =0.004). However, there was no significant change between pre-workshop and follow-up ratings (p =0.43). The study also highlighted that a number of students consistently rated working in child and adolescent mental health very favourably.


CONCLUSIONS
The workshop did have a positive influence on students' career intentions, but this change was not enduring. However, a number of students did indicate an interest in working in the area; and enhancing this interest while addressing the lack of training in this area would be worthwhile.
Lucassen
Mathijs F G
MF
School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand. mathijs.lucassen@aut.ac.nz
Robinson
Elizabeth
E
Merry
Sally N
SN
D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002321:Career Choice; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services; D004493:Education; D004510:Education, Nursing, Diploma Programs; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000193:education*; D012947:Social Work / Q000193:education*