Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of Positive Mental Health Program for Adults: Study Protocol

Sónia Manuela Almeida Teixeira; Carme Ferré-Grau; Carlos Alberto da Cruz Sequeira; José Manuel Santos; Maria Manuela Guerra; Maria Teresa Lluch

doi:10.1111/phn.13427

Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of Positive Mental Health Program for Adults: Study Protocol

Public Health Nurs. 2024 Oct 3. doi: 10.1111/phn.13427. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Sónia Manuela Almeida Teixeira¹, Carme Ferré-Grau², Carlos Alberto da Cruz Sequeira³, José Manuel Santos⁴, Maria Manuela Guerra⁴, Maria Teresa Lluch⁵

Affiliations

¹ Higher School of Health, Member at CINTESIS RISE - Center for Health Technology and Services Research, NursID - Innovation & Development in Nursing Research Group, Fernando Pessoa University, Porto, Portugal.
² Mental Health Sciences Department, Universitat Rovira y Virgili, URV, Tarragona, Spain.
³ The School of Nursing of Porto, Coordinator Research Group NURSID: Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS RISE), Porto, Portugal.
⁴ Higher School of Health, Fernando Pessoa University, Porto, Portugal.
⁵ Mental Health Sciences Department, School of Nursing, University of Barcelona, Campus of Health Science, L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Spain.

PMID: 39359154
DOI: 10.1111/phn.13427

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of a positive mental health program for adults (PMHP) in the community.

Background: Positive mental health (PMH) can be seen as a construct represented by six factors (personal satisfaction, prosocial attitude, self-control, autonomy, problem resolution, and self-actualization, and interpersonal relationship skills) according to the Multifactorial Model for PMH. Although there are several interventions in promoting mental health, research on effective promotion of PMH for adults in the community with structured and validated programs of PMH is scarce.

Methods: This study protocol describes a randomized controlled trial (RCT) following a wait-list control design, aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a PMHP in the community. This study was approved in June 2019 by the Ethics Committee. Participants will be recruited from the school community of teachers. Participants aged ≥ 18 years. The participants will be randomized 1:1 to either (a) an intervention group, which will integrate the PMHP, or (b) the standby control group. Three assessment moments for both groups will take place initial, after the intervention, and a follow-up of 3-6 months. The evaluation instruments will include a sociodemographic questionnaire, a PMH questionnaire, and a psychological vulnerability scale.

Conclusion: The current study provides an innovative approach to PMH. Further, the study may demonstrate new interventions in PMH in the community, based on a program with systematized guidelines and sessions structured according to individual needs. It is expected that at the end of the program, the experimental group will increase the level of PMH.

Relevance to clinical practice: To allow future official implementation of the PMH program and the replication of the study in other professional groups as a promotion tool.

No patient or public contribution: There was no funding to remunerate a participant for this study.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04600401. Registered on May 15, 2020.

Keywords: adult; health promotion; mental health; nursing; program; randomized controlled trial.

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04600401