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Ilaria Montagni1, Garance Mazoyer1, Consortium Child-Mhl
1Bordeaux Population Health U1219, université de Bordeaux-INSERM, Bordeaux, France. Le Consortium du projet CHILD-MHL comprend : Réda Salamon, Florence Saillour-Glenisson, Sandrine Domecq, Florence Francis Oliviero (université de Bordeaux), Sophie Arfeuillère, Céline Loubières, Manon Harivel (Psycom), Emmanuelle Perez, Audrey Mussat (The Ink Link), Rebecca Shankland (Université Lumière Lyon 2), Massimiliano Orri (Institut Douglas, Université McGill, Canada), Christine Grové, Alexandra Marinucci (RMIT University, Australie), Elsa Gaillard (Université de Genève) et Juan Luis Gonzalez-Caballero (Université de Cadiz, Espagne).
Introduction:
The prevention of mental disorders and the promotion of children’s psychological well-being are key public mental health priorities. In this context, the cocreation of school-based mental health literacy interventions emerges as a key lever for successful implementation. However, there are currently no established recommendations for developing this type of intervention with positive outcomes. The aim of this study was to propose a roadmap based on the description of the cocreation steps of a French school-based intervention.
Methods:
A heterogeneous working group, including children aged 9–11, developed a multi-tool intervention based on the theoretical framework of the Child-Focused Mental Health Literacy Model. Multiple methodologies (questionnaires, literature review, semi-structured interviews, pedagogical sheets) were used to guide the development of the intervention.
Results:
The cocreation process (2024–2025) combined a mental health survey of 254 children with a review of existing interventions. The data were synthesized into pedagogical sheets, validated by professionals, parents, and teachers, and subsequently used to develop educational tools. A sequence of six weekly sessions was designed and tested with children, whose feedback informed content adjustments and confirmed the relevance of the intervention.
Discussion:
We described the cocreation process of a school-based intervention combining researchers’ scientific knowledge with stakeholders’ expertise. This approach brought together academic rigor and diverse empirical contributions and provided a practical roadmap for developing interventions in real-world settings. Children’s involvement was essential to adapt the content to their level of understanding and to incorporate their perspectives, taking into account their sensitivity and vulnerability regarding this complex topic.
Conclusions:
Cocreation appears to be an essential condition for the development of effective school-based mental health literacy interventions for children. The proposed roadmap aims to guide the different stages of the process for professionals wishing to engage in this still underexplored field of intervention.