Promotion of mental health literacy in adolescence. School as a setting for health education and imparting skills

(German) Hintergrund: International und national wird der Ruf laut, Gesundheitsforderung in Schulen zu verankern, nicht erst, aber insbesondere im Zusammenhang mit dem Anstieg der Rate psychischer Auffalligkeiten seit dem Beginn der coronavirus disease 2019"(COVID-19)-Pandemie. Die Forderung mentaler Gesundheitskompetenz (mGeKo) erfahrt in den vergangenen Jahren als moglicher Ansatzpunkt zunehmende Aufmerksamkeit. Fragestellung:Welche Evidenzen gibt es fur die Forderung der mGeKo im Jugendalter im schulischen Setting, und wie gestaltet sich die praktische Umsetzung in Deutschland? Methode: Literaturubersicht, Recherche in Datenbanken zu Programmen zur Forderung der mGeKo im schulischen Kontext (Sekundarstufe I). Ergebnisse: Die Forderung der mGeKo erscheint, gerade bei einer Implementierung im Schulkontext, als ein vielversprechender Ansatz: Erste Programme existieren, Metaanalysen weisen auf signifikante Effektstarken im unteren bis mittleren Bereich hin. Es bestehen jedoch ein weiterer Forschungsbedarf (z. B. hinsichtlich distaler Endpunkte) und Schwierigkeiten bei der Umsetzung in die Praxis. Schlussfolgerungen: Durch eine theorie- und evidenzbasierte Umsetzung kann Schule als Lern- und Lebensort fur das wichtige Thema psychische Gesundheit sensibilisiert und fur unterstutzende Masnahmen motiviert werden;eine Berucksichtigung der Hurden im deutschen Schulsystem erscheint fur eine erfolgreiche Umsetzung masgeblich. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Association of polygenic risk scores and hair cortisol with mental health trajectories during COVID lockdown.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global stressor with inter-individually differing influences on mental health trajectories. Polygenic Risk Scores (PRSs) for psychiatric phenotypes are associated with individual mental health predispositions. Elevated hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) and high PRSs are related to negative mental health outcomes. We analyzed whether PRSs and HCC are related to different mental health trajectories during the first COVID lockdown in Germany. Among 523 participants selected from the longitudinal resilience assessment study (LORA), we previously reported three subgroups (acute dysfunction, delayed dysfunction, resilient) based on weekly mental health (GHQ-28) assessment during COVID lockdown. DNA from blood was collected at the baseline of the original LORA study (n = 364) and used to calculate the PRSs of 12 different psychopathological phenotypes. An explorative bifactor model with Schmid-Leiman transformation was calculated to extract a general genetic factor for psychiatric disorders. Hair samples were collected quarterly prior to the pandemic for determining HCC (n = 192). Bivariate logistic regressions were performed to test the associations of HCC and the PRS factors with the reported trajectories. The bifactor model revealed 1 general factor and 4 sub-factors. Results indicate a significant association between increased values on the general risk factor and the allocation to the acute dysfunction class. The same was found for elevated HCC and the exploratorily tested sub-factor "childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorders". Genetic risk and long-term cortisol secretion as a potential indicator of stress, indicated by PRSs and HCC, respectively, predicted different mental health trajectories. Results indicate a potential for future studies on risk prediction.

Förderung der mentalen Gesundheitskompetenz im Jugendalter : Schule als Setting für Aufklärung und Vermittlung von Handlungskompetenzen Promotion of mental health literacy in adolescenceSchool as a setting for health education and imparting skills

Hintergrund International und national wird der Ruf laut, Gesundheitsförderung in Schulen zu verankern, nicht erst, aber insbesondere im Zusammenhang mit dem Anstieg der Rate psychischer Auffälligkeiten seit dem Beginn der „coronavirus disease 2019“(COVID-19)-Pandemie. Die Förderung mentaler Gesundheitskompetenz (mGeKo) erfährt in den vergangenen Jahren als möglicher Ansatzpunkt zunehmende Aufmerksamkeit. Fragestellung Welche Evidenzen gibt es für die Förderung der mGeKo im Jugendalter im schulischen Setting, und wie gestaltet sich die praktische Umsetzung in Deutschland? Methode Literaturübersicht, Recherche in Datenbanken zu Programmen zur Förderung der mGeKo im schulischen Kontext (Sekundarstufe I). Ergebnisse Die Förderung der mGeKo erscheint, gerade bei einer Implementierung im Schulkontext, als ein vielversprechender Ansatz: Erste Programme existieren, Metaanalysen weisen auf signifikante Effektstärken im unteren bis mittleren Bereich hin. Es bestehen jedoch ein weiterer Forschungsbedarf (z. B. hinsichtlich distaler Endpunkte) und Schwierigkeiten bei der Umsetzung in die Praxis. Schlussfolgerungen Durch eine theorie- und evidenzbasierte Umsetzung kann Schule als Lern- und Lebensort für das wichtige Thema psychische Gesundheit sensibilisiert und für unterstützende Maßnahmen motiviert werden;eine Berücksichtigung der Hürden im deutschen Schulsystem erscheint für eine erfolgreiche Umsetzung maßgeblich. Zusatzmaterial online Die Online-Version dieses Beitrags (10.1007/s00278-022-00622-w) enthält eine Liste mit universellen Programmen zur Förderung der mentalen Gesundheitskompetenz (mGeKo) im Schulkontext.

Förderung der mentalen Gesundheitskompetenz im Jugendalter

Background: Internationally as well as nationally there is a strong call to anchor health promotion in schools, not only but especially in connection with the growing rate of psychological problems during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In recent years the promotion of mental health literacy has received increasing attention as a possible approach. Objective: What evidence is there for promoting mental health literacy in adolescents in the school setting and how is it practically implemented in Germany? Method: Literature review, search in databases on programs to promote mental health literacy in a school setting (lower secondary level). Results: The promotion of mental health literacy appears to be a promising approach, especially when implemented in the school context. Initial programs exist and meta-analyses point to significant effect sizes in the lower and middle range;however, there is a need for further research (e.g. with respect to distal endpoints) and there are difficulties in the practical implementation. Conclusion: A theory-based and evidence-based implementation has the potential to sensitize schools to this important topic and motivate them to take further steps in health promotion. Consideration of barriers specific to the German school system appears to be decisive for a successful implementation.

Look After Yourself: Students Consistently Showing High Resilience Engaged in More Self-Care and Proved More Resilient During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted severe restrictions on everyday life to curb the spread of infections. For example, teaching at universities has been switched to an online format, reducing students' opportunities for exchange, and social interaction. Consequently, their self-reported mental health has significantly decreased and there is a pressing need to elucidate the underlying mechanisms—ideally considering not only data collected during the pandemic, but also before. One hundred seventeen German university students aged 18-27 were assessed for known resilience factors (optimism, self-care, social support, generalized self-efficacy) and subsequently completed surveys on stress experiences and mental health every 3 months over a period of 9 months before the outbreak of the pandemic and once during the first lockdown in Germany. For each timepoint before the pandemic, we regressed participants' mental health against the reported stressor load, such that the resulting residuals denote better or worse than expected outcomes, i.e., the degree of resilient functioning. We then tested whether different expressions in the resilience factors were predictive of distinct resilient functioning trajectories, which were identified through latent class growth analysis. Finally, we investigated whether trajectory class, resilience factors, and perceived stress predicted resilience during the pandemic. Results show rather stable resilient functioning trajectories, with classes differing mainly according to degree rather than change over time. More self-care was associated with a higher resilient functioning trajectory, which in turn was linked with the most favorable pandemic response (i.e., lower perceived stress and more self-care). Although findings should be interpreted with caution given the rather small sample size, they represent a rare examination of established resilience factors in relation to resilience over an extended period and highlight the relevance of self-care in coping with real-life stressors such as the pandemic.

Association of Innate and Acquired Aerobic Capacity With Resilience in Healthy Adults: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial of an 8-Week Web-Based Physical Exercise Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity alleviates chronic stress. The latest research suggests a relationship between resilience and physical fitness. Beneficial adaptations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, sympathetic nervous system, endocannabinoid system, and tryptophan pathway, which are induced by an active lifestyle, are considered to be conducive to resilience. However, detailed knowledge on the molecular link between the effects of acute and chronic physical exercise and improved resilience to stress in humans is missing. Moreover, the relationship between innate and acquired aerobic capacity and resilience is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to implement a human exercise intervention trial addressing the following main hypotheses: a high innate aerobic capacity is associated with high resilience to stress, and web-based physical exercise training improves aerobic capacity of physically inactive adults, which is accompanied by improved resilience. In this setting, we will analyze the relationship between resilience parameters and innate and acquired aerobic capacity as well as circulating signaling molecules. METHODS: A total of 70 healthy, physically inactive (<150 minutes/week of physical activity) adults (aged 18-45 years) will be randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Participants in the intervention group will receive weekly training using progressive endurance and interval running adapted individually to their remotely supervised home training performance via web-based coach support. A standardized incremental treadmill exercise test will be performed before and after the intervention period of 8 weeks to determine the innate and acquired aerobic capacity (peak oxygen uptake). Before and after the intervention, psychological tests and questionnaires that characterize parameters implicated in resilience will be applied. Blood and saliva will be sampled for the analysis of cortisol, lactate, endocannabinoids, catecholamines, kynurenic acid, and further circulating signal transducers. Statistical analysis will provide comprehensive knowledge on the relationship between aerobic capacity and resilience, as well as the capacity of peripheral factors to mediate the promoting effects of exercise on resilience. RESULTS: The study was registered in October 2019, and enrollment began in September 2019. Of the 161 participants who were initially screened via a telephone survey, 43 (26.7%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Among the 55% (17/31) of participants in the intervention group and 45% (14/31) of participants in the control group who completed the study, no serious adverse incidents were reported. Of 43 participants, 4 (9%) withdrew during the program (for individual reasons) and 8 (19%) have not yet participated in the program; moreover, further study recruitment was paused for an indeterminate amount of time because of the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Our study aims to further define the physiological characteristics of human resilience, and it may offer novel approaches for the prevention and therapy of mental disorders via an exercise prescription. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/29712.