Refining the Universal, School-Based OurFutures Mental Health Program to Be Trauma Informed, Gender and Sexuality Diversity Affirmative, and Adherent to Proportionate Universalism: Mixed Methods Participatory Design Process.
Lucinda Rachel GrummittSasha BaileyErin Veronica KellyLouise BirrellLauren Anne GardnerJillian E HalladayCatherine ChapmanJack L AndrewsKatrina Elizabeth ChampionEmily HunterLyra EganChloe ConroyRaaya TikoAn NguyenMaree R TeessonNicola Claire NewtonEmma Louise BarrettPublished in: JMIR pediatrics and parenting (2024)
The updated OurFutures Mental Health program is a trauma-informed, LBGTQA+ affirmative program aligned with the principles of proportionate universalism. The program adaptation responds to recent mixed findings on universal school-based mental health prevention programs, which include null, small beneficial, and small iatrogenic effects. The efficacy of the refined OurFutures Mental Health program is currently being tested through a cluster randomized controlled trial with up to 1400 students in 14 schools across Australia. It is hoped that the refined program will advance the current stalemate in universal school-based prevention of common mental disorders and ultimately improve the mental health and well-being of young people in schools.