Research shows the benefits of Mental Health First Aid training for teenagers.

Recently published research in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry showed the benefits of teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) training. Senior tMHFA is a classroom-based training programme for students aged 15–18 years to improve supportive behaviours towards peers, increase mental health literacy and reduce stigma.

The research shows that providing Mental Health First Aid training to students in high schools is safe and effective in increasing knowledge about mental illnesses and supportive behaviours teens can use with their friends.

“These are exciting results from a strong trial of teenMHFA,” says lead researcher Dr Laura Hart.

“Our findings mirror those found for the adult Mental Health First Aid courses available and suggest how valuable this program may be for schools and students. We are now conducting a larger randomised controlled trial with funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia to further understand the impact of training on students and long-term impacts on mental health first aid skills, help-seeking and mental health in young people.”

Mental Health First Aid Australia has so far provided the tMHFA program to 22,000 students in 222 Australian high schools, reaching about 8.2% of all high schools nationally.

Read the published article here.