MasterMind: Empower Yourself With Mental Health. A program for adolescents
Katherine A Tacker1, Sharon Dobie
1Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Science University, Multnomah Pavilion, UHN-80, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA. tackerk@ohsu.edu
The Journal of School Health
|January 8, 2008
Summary
The MasterMind program offers a low-cost, 6-week mental health workshop for adolescents, enhancing their knowledge and providing tools for emotional well-being. The pilot study showed increased student engagement and satisfaction, suggesting potential for broader implementation.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Mental Health
- School-Based Interventions
- Mental Health Literacy
Background:
- Adolescents face significant mental health challenges, necessitating accessible classroom-based support programs.
- A lack of ready-made, adaptable mental health programs for schools exists.
- The MasterMind workshop was developed to address this need for a low-cost, effective intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the development and proposed implementation of the MasterMind workshop.
- To provide adolescents with a "toolbox for mental health" through education and skill-building.
- To create a safe environment for discussing mental health and emotional topics.
Main Methods:
- A 6-week, classroom-based workshop titled MasterMind: Empower Yourself With Mental Health was designed.
- Instructional materials covered topics identified through needs assessments, including self-esteem, media literacy, and stress management.
- The program utilized a blend of direct instruction, written exercises, peer-teaching, group activities, and anonymous question submission.
Main Results:
- The pilot program was implemented in a Seattle middle school with 30 students.
- Student enthusiasm and participation increased throughout the 6-week program.
- Students reported high satisfaction with the topics covered, and the host teacher continued program activities post-completion.
Conclusions:
- MasterMind educates all students, not just those with identified issues, and may help identify undiagnosed mental health needs.
- The pilot demonstrated the potential of such programs to equip adolescents with tools for optimizing mental health.
- The adaptable, low-cost nature of MasterMind suggests feasibility for wider school-based adoption.
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