Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Nov 13, 2023
Date Accepted: Mar 8, 2024
The Impact of Video-Based Micro-Interventions on Attitudes towards Mental Health and Help-Seeking in Youths: A Web-Based Randomized Controlled Trial.
ABSTRACT
Background:
Mental health (MH) problems in youth are prevalent, burdening, and frequently persistent. Despite the existence of effective treatment, uptake of professional help is low, particularly due to attitudinal barriers.
Objective:
The present study evaluated the effectiveness and acceptability of two video-based micro-interventions aimed at reducing barriers towards MH treatment and increasing the likelihood of seeking professional help in young people.
Methods:
The interventions addressed five MH problems: generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), depression, bulimia, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), and problematic alcohol use. Intervention 1 (INT1) aimed at destigmatization and improving MH literacy, whereas intervention 2 (INT2) aimed to induce positive outcome expectancies towards professional help-seeking. In total, N=1394 participants aged 14 to 29 years were randomized to one of the five MH problems and one of three conditions (control, INT1, INT2) in a permuted block design. After the presentation of a video vignette, no further video was shown to the control group, while a second, short intervention video was presented to the INT1 and the INT2 groups. Intervention effects on potential professional help-seeking (primary outcome), stigma, and attitudes towards help-seeking were examined with analyses of covariance across and within the five MH problems. Furthermore, we assessed video acceptability.
Results:
No significant group effects on potential professional help-seeking were found in the total sample (F(2,1385)=.99, P=.37). However, the groups differed significantly with regard to stigma outcomes and the likelihood of seeking informal help (F(2,1385)=3.75, P=.02). Furthermore, separate analyses indicated substantial differences in the intervention effects between the five MH problems.
Conclusions:
Interventions to promote help-seeking for MH problems require disorder-specific approaches. The study results can inform future research and public health campaigns addressing adolescents and young adults. Clinical Trial: This study has been registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (www.drks.de) on September 23rd, 2020: #DRKS00023110.
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