Influence of coping strategies on the efficacy of YAM (Youth Aware of Mental Health): a universal school-based suicide preventive program

Kahn, Jean-Pierre; Cohen, Renaud F.; Tubiana, Alexandra; Legrand, Karine; Wasserman, Camilla; Carli, Vladimir; Apter, Alan; Balazs, Judit; Banzer, Raphaele; Baralla, Francesca; Barzilai, Shira; Bobes, Julio; Brunner, Romuald; Corcoran, Paul; Cosman, Doina; Guillemin, Francis; Haring, Christian; Kaess, Michael; Bitenc, Urša Mars; Mészàros, Gergley; ... (2020). Influence of coping strategies on the efficacy of YAM (Youth Aware of Mental Health): a universal school-based suicide preventive program. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 29(12), pp. 1671-1681. Springer 10.1007/s00787-020-01476-w

Preview

Text Kahn2020_Article_InfluenceOfCopingStrategiesOnT.pdf - Published Version Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (720kB) | Preview

The school-based mental health promotion and suicide prevention universal program Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM) significantly reduces incident suicide attempts and severe suicidal ideation. This paper aims at elucidating psychological mechanisms underlying YAM's efficacy. Our hypothesis is that YAM operates through interactions with coping strategies (CS) on the reduction of suicidal ideation (SI). In the Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) study, five coping strategies were assessed at baseline (T0) and 12-month follow-up (T12): "learning", "help-seeking", "arts", "sports" and "fight". We analyzed interactions between the YAM intervention, coping strategies and SI in the YAM group (N = 1693) and the minimal intervention group (N = 1909), after excluding prevalent cases with SI and previous suicide attempts from our total sample (N = 5654). General Linear Mixed Model regressions were performed. The present study confirms that coping strategies play an influential role on suicidal ideation. Our results showed that YAM acts whatever the prevailing coping strategies used. It is particularly efficient for pupils insufficiently using adaptive coping strategies such as LEARN and HELP-SEEKING or using maladaptive coping strategies, such as ARTS and FIGHT. The socialization induced by the YAM intervention seems to be a strong component of its efficiency.

Interest & Impact

Downloads

1 since deposited on 25 Dec 2020
0 in the past 12 months

Citations

5 Citations in Web of Science ®
6 Citations in Scopus

Search

in Google Scholar™

Services

Actions (login required)

Edit item

Actions (login required)

Edit item