Picture-cum-activity book on mental health care for adolescents: An initial evaluation

Background: Adolescent mental health is of critical importance as adolescence is associated with the emergence of mental disorders in a number of individuals. A novel intervention for adolescents, of a Picture-cum-Activity book, namely, The Mindful Moonbow Book and Handouts (TMMBH), focused on enhancing mental health literacy, promoting mental health, preventing mental health problems, and training adolescents in providing first-level mental health support to peers experiencing mental health problems (PEMHP). The aim of the study was to conduct an initial evaluation of the impact of TMMBH on adolescents' knowledge and attitudes with regard to mental health, mental health problems, and help-seeking; practice of providing first-level mental health support to PEMHP; and adolescents' level of psychological distress. The study also explored the acceptability of TMMBH and its utility for adolescents in caring for - their own and peer's - mental health. Methods: A quasi-experimental single group design, with pre-post-assessment and mixed methods, was adopted. The sample comprised ten adolescents. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the participants' knowledge and attitude regarding mental health, mental health problems, and help-seeking following TMMBH intervention. All participants strongly affirmed the acceptability of TMMBH as a capacity-building resource for adolescents to care for their own mental health as well as for them to provide first-level mental health support to PEMHP. Conclusion: This initial evaluation suggested that TMMBH has potential for being an innovative standalone intervention as it has an adolescent friendly format, is an anywhere-anytime resource, is not human resource-intensive, and is scalable.