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Universal and selective interventions to promote good mental health in young people: Systematic review and meta-analysis

  • Gonzalo Salazar de Pablo
  • , Andrea De Michell
  • , Dorien H. Nieman
  • , Christoph U. Correll
  • , Lars Vedel Kessing
  • , Andrea Pfennig
  • , Andreas Bechdolf
  • , Stefan Borgwardt
  • , Celso Arango
  • , Therese van Amelsvoort
  • , Eduard Vieta
  • , Marco Solmi
  • , Dominic Oliver
  • , Ana Catalan
  • , Valeria Verdino
  • , Lucia Di Maggio
  • , Ilaria Bonoldi
  • , Julio Vaquerizo-Serrano
  • , Ottone Baccaredda Boy
  • , Umberto Provenzani
  • Francesca Ruzzi, Federica Calorio, Guido Nosari, Benedetto Di Marco, Irene Famularo, Silvia Molteni, Eleonora Filosi, Martina Mensi, Umberto Balottin, Pierluigi Politi, Jae Il Shin, Paolo Fusar-Poli*
*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal(Systematic) Review articlepeer-review

Abstract

Promotion of good mental health in young people is important. Our aim was to evaluate the consistency and magnitude of the efficacy of universal/selective interventions to promote good mental health. A systematic PRISMA/RIGHT-compliant meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD42018088708) search of Web of Science until 04/31/2019 identified original studies comparing the efficacy of universal/selective interventions for good mental health vs a control group, in samples with a mean age <35 years. Meta-analytical random-effects model, heterogeneity statistics, assessment of publication bias, study quality and sensitivity analyses investigated the efficacy (Hedges' g = effect size, ES) of universal/selective interventions to promote 14 good mental health outcomes defined a-priori. 276 studies were included (total participants: 159,508, 79,142 interventions and 80,366 controls), mean age = 15.0 (SD = 7.4); female = 56.0%. There was a significant overall improvement in 10/13 good mental health outcome categories that could be meta-analysed: compared to controls, interventions significantly improved (in descending order of magnitude) mental health literacy (ES = 0.685, p <0.001), emotions (ES = 0.541, p <0.001), self-perceptions and values (ES = 0.49, p <0.001), quality of life (ES = 0.457, p = 0.001), cognitive skills (ES = 0.428, p <0.001), social skills (ES = 0.371, p <0.001), physical health (ES = 0.285, p <0.001), sexual health (ES = 0.257, p = 0.017), academic/occupational performance (ES = 0.211, p <0.001) and attitude towards mental disorders (ES = 0.177, p = 0.006). Psychoeducation was the most effective intervention for promoting mental health literacy (ES = 0.774, p <0.001) and cognitive skills (ES = 1.153, p = 0.03). Physical therapy, exercise and relaxation were more effective than psychoeducation and psychotherapy for promoting physical health (ES= 0.498, p

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)28-39
Number of pages12
JournalEuropean Neuropsychopharmacology
Volume41
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2020

Keywords

  • CHILDREN
  • DEPRESSION
  • EFFICACY
  • GUIDELINES
  • Good mental health
  • Intervention
  • LITERACY
  • Outcomes
  • PHYSICAL ILLNESS
  • PREVALENCE
  • PREVENTION
  • PROGRAM
  • Promotion
  • SKILLS
  • Selective
  • Universal
  • STUDENTS

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