Innovative approach to adolescent mental health in Japan: School-based education about mental health literacy.
Early Interv Psychiatry
; 15(1): 174-182, 2021 02.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32277606
AIMS: Improving mental health literacy through school-based education may encourage mental health promotion, prevention and care and reduce stigma in adolescents. In Japan, instruction about mental illness has been formulated in a Course of Study that reflects governmental curriculum guidelines, which will be enforced from 2022 to promote an understanding of current issues of adolescent health. Educational resources available to schoolteachers have been developed. This article describes the development processes and contents of these resources. METHODS: Our collaborating team, consisting of mental health professionals and schoolteachers, developed educational resources, based on feedback from high school students in general and young people who had experienced mental health problems. RESULTS: The new Course of Study covers: (1) mechanisms of mental illness, prevalence, age at onset, risk factors and treatability; (2) typical symptoms of mental health problems and illnesses; (3) self-help strategies for prevention of and recovery from mental illness; (4) enhancing help-seeking and helping behaviour and (5) decreasing stigma associated with people with mental health problems. The educational strategy is targeted at high school students (grades 10-12) and is conducted by teachers of health and physical education. The educational resources include short story animated films, filmed social contact and educators' manuals, which are freely available through the internet and open to all concerned including schoolteachers in Japan. CONCLUSIONS: Our efforts are expected to help implement mental health education of the public throughout Japan and other countries and promote the practice of early intervention and prevention of mental illnesses in adolescents.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Mental Health
/
Health Literacy
Type of study:
Guideline
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
Early Interv Psychiatry
Journal subject:
PSIQUIATRIA
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Japan
Country of publication:
Australia