Promoting Mental Health at Schools - PROMEHS: Impact of curriculum implementation in Portugal

Abstract

Despite evidence of the positive impact of school-based mental health promotion interventions, there remains a need for robust studies, particularly to evaluate newly developed programs, in order to promote the adoption of best practices and identify effective intervention strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of implementing the PROMEHS curriculum in Portugal in a school setting, using a sample of children and adolescents (N=1,764). A longitudinal quasi-experimental design was adopted with an experimental group and a waitlist control group, assessed at the pre- and post-test phases of implementation. Data were collected from teachers, parents/guardians, and students using a set of instruments: the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), the Social-Emotional Skills (SSIS-SEL Brief Scales), Academic Competence, Resilience (CD-RISC10), and PROMEHS impact. The results indicate a significant impact on students’ socioemotional competencies and academic outcomes, as well as a reduction in difficulties, according to teacher assessments. No statistically significant results were found in the assessments of parents/guardians or the students. However, the evaluation of the program impact across all three informant sources was highly positive. Overall, the findings demonstrate the effectiveness of PROMEHS in promoting students’ socioemotional development and highlight the importance of this type of program in Portuguese schools.