title: Effectiveness of a pragmatic school-based universal intervention targeting student resilience protective factors in reducing mental health problems in adolescents.
abstract: Worldwide, 10-20% of adolescents experience mental health problems. Strategies aimed at strengthening resilience protective factors provide a potential approach for reducing mental health problems in adolescents. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a universal, school-based intervention targeting resilience protective factors in reducing mental health problems in adolescents. A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted in 20 intervention and 12 control secondary schools located in socio-economically disadvantaged areas of NSW, Australia. Data were collected from 3115 students at baseline (Grade 7, 2011), of whom 2149 provided data at follow up (Grade 10, 2014; enrolments in Grades 7 to 10 typically aged 12-16 years; 50% male; 69.0% retention). There were no significant differences between groups at follow-up for three mental health outcomes: total SDQ, internalising problems, and prosocial behaviour. A small statistically significant difference in favour of the control group was found for externalising problems. Findings highlight the continued difficulties in developing effective, school-based prevention programs for mental health problems in adolescents.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ANZCTR (Ref no: ACTRN12611000606987).
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and IT, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter New England Population Health Research Group, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2310, Australia. Electronic address: Julia.Dray@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dray
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and IT, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2310, Australia.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bowman
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter New England Population Health Research Group, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2310, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2310, Australia.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Freund
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter New England Population Health Research Group, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2310, Australia.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hodder
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter New England Population Health Research Group, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2310, Australia.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wolfenden
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science and IT, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Jody
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.affiliation: Hunter New England Population Health Research Group, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leane
authors.affiliation: Hunter New England Population Health Research Group, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2310, Australia.
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter New England Population Health Research Group, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lecathelinais
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2310, Australia.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oldmeadow
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2310, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.affiliation: Hunter New England Population Health Research Group, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2310, Australia.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gillham
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter New England Population Health Research Group, Hunter New England Local Health District, Wallsend, NSW 2287, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2310, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wiggers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009517:New South Wales; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012572:School Health Services; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Adolescence; Mental health; Prevention; Resilience; Schools; Universal intervention