Building Emotional Resilience in Youth in Lebanon: a School-Based Randomized Controlled Trial of the FRIENDS Intervention

Fadi T Maalouf; Loay Alrojolah; Lilian Ghandour; Rima Afifi; Leyla Akoury Dirani; Paula Barrett; Rima Nakkash; Wael Shamseddeen; Farah Tabaja; Courtney M Yuen; Anne E Becker

doi:10.1007/s11121-020-01123-5

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Building Emotional Resilience in Youth in Lebanon: a School-Based Randomized Controlled Trial of the FRIENDS Intervention

Journal article

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Building Emotional Resilience in Youth in Lebanon: a School-Based Randomized Controlled Trial of the FRIENDS Intervention

Fadi T Maalouf, Loay Alrojolah, Lilian Ghandour, Rima Afifi, Leyla Akoury Dirani, Paula Barrett, Rima Nakkash, Wael Shamseddeen, Farah Tabaja, Courtney M Yuen, …

Prevention science, Vol.21(5), pp.650-660

05/04/2020

DOI: 10.1007/s11121-020-01123-5

PMID: 32363411

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https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworkspost2013/8984View

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Abstract

In Lebanon, approximately one in four adolescents suffers from a psychiatric disorder. Alarmingly, 94% of adolescents with a mental disorder have not sought any treatment. This study assessed the effectiveness of an evidence-based school-based universal mental health intervention (the FRIENDS program) in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms in middle school students in Lebanon. A total of 280 6th graders aged 11-13 years were recruited from 10 schools in Beirut. Schools were matched on size and tuition and randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. The FRIENDS program was translated into Arabic, adapted, and then implemented by trained mental health professionals during 10 classroom sessions over 3 months. We assessed sociodemographic and relevant psychological symptoms by self-report, using the Scale for Childhood Anxiety and Related Disorders (SCARED), Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ), and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), at baseline. We re-administered these scales at 3 months post-intervention. There was a significant time × group interaction for the SDQ emotional score (p = 0.011) and total MFQ score (p = 0.039) indicating significant improvement in depressive and emotional symptoms in the intervention group. Subgroup analysis by gender showed a significant time × group interaction for the total SCARED score (p = 0.025) in females but not in males (p = 0.137), consistent with a reduction of anxiety symptoms in this stratum of the intervention group as compared with the control group. The FRIENDS program was effective in reducing general emotional and depressive symptoms among middle school students in this Lebanese study population. This intervention provides an opportunity for promoting mental health in Lebanese schools and reducing the treatment gap in mental health care.

Intervention

Lebanon

School

FRIENDS

Mental health

Children

Adolescents

Details

Title: Subtitle: Building Emotional Resilience in Youth in Lebanon: a School-Based Randomized Controlled Trial of the FRIENDS Intervention
Creators: Fadi T Maalouf - Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El-Solh/Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon. fm38@aub.edu.lb
Loay Alrojolah - Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El-Solh/Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon
Lilian Ghandour - Department of Epidemiology and Population, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El-Solh/Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon. lg01@aub.edu.lb
Rima Afifi - Community and Behavioral, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa, IA, USA
Leyla Akoury Dirani - Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El-Solh/Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon
Paula Barrett - Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
Rima Nakkash - Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
Wael Shamseddeen - Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El-Solh/Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon
Farah Tabaja - Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El-Solh/Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon
Courtney M Yuen - Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
Anne E Becker - Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Prevention science, Vol.21(5), pp.650-660
DOI: 10.1007/s11121-020-01123-5
PMID: 32363411
NLM abbreviation: Prev Sci
ISSN: 1389-4986
eISSN: 1573-6695
Grant note: N/A / Harvard Medical School Center for Global Health Delivery-Dubai
Language: English
Date published: 05/04/2020
Academic Unit: Injury Prevention Research Center; Community and Behavioral Health
Record Identifier: 9984214682202771

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