Offering mental health first aid to a person experiencing psychosis: a Delphi study to redevelop the guidelines published in 2008.

BACKGROUND: Psychotic illnesses can have a major impact on those who experience them. Timely treatment for psychosis is important and friends, family members and the public can be a facilitating factor in social support and professional help-seeking. Expert consensus guidelines on how to provide mental health first aid to a person experiencing psychosis were developed in 2008. This Delphi study aimed to redevelop the guidelines to reflect current evidence. METHODS: The Delphi consensus method was used to determine which helping strategies should be included in the redeveloped guidelines. A systematic search of grey and academic literature was undertaken to identify strategies on how a member of the public can assist someone experiencing psychosis. These strategies were organised into questionnaire statements. Two expert panels-one comprising people with lived experience (Carers and Consumers) and one of professionals-completed three consecutive rounds of online survey questionnaires to rate the importance of each helping statement for inclusion in the guidelines. Statements were included in the guidelines if they were endorsed by at least 80% of each panel. RESULTS: The expert panels rated 515 statements across three rounds of surveys, with 325 statements meeting the criteria for inclusion in the redeveloped guidelines. 59 panel participants completed all three surveys. CONCLUSIONS: The redeveloped guidelines outline a general set of strategies for providing initial assistance to a person who is experiencing psychosis. Compared to the original guidelines, these redeveloped guidelines provide more detailed instruction for members of the public on how to provide mental health first aid to assist a person experiencing psychosis. The guidelines are available to the public and will be used to update the Mental Health First Aid courses.

Offering mental health first aid to a person with depression: a Delphi study to re-develop the guidelines published in 2008.

BACKGROUND: Depressive disorder is ranked as the largest contributor to non-fatal health burden. However, with prompt treatment, outcomes can improve. Family and friends are well placed to recognise the signs of depression and encourage early help seeking. Guidelines about how members of the public can provide mental health first aid to someone who is experiencing depression were developed in 2008. A Delphi study was conducted to re-develop these guidelines to ensure they are current and reflect best practice. METHODS: A survey was developed using the 2008 depression mental health first aid guidelines and a systematic search of grey and academic literature. The questionnaire contained items about providing mental health first aid to a person with depression. These items were rated by two international expert panels - a lived experience panel (consumers and carers) and a professional panel. RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty-two items were rated by 53 experts (36 with lived experience and 17 professionals) according to whether they should be included in the revised guidelines. There were 183 items that met the criteria to be included in the updated guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: This re-development has added detail to the previous version of the guidelines, giving more guidance on the role of the first aider and allowing for a more nuanced approach to providing first aid to someone with depression. These guidelines are available to the public and will be used to update the Mental Health First Aid courses.