Effectiveness of Promotive and Preventive Psychosocial Interventions on Improving the Mental Health of Finnish-Born and Immigrant Adolescents

Kirsi Peltonen, Sanni Aalto, Mervi Vänskä, Riina Lepistö, Raija-Leena Punamäki, Emma Soye, Charles Watters, Lutine de Wal Pastoor, Ilse Derluyn and Reeta Kankaanpää
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Kirsi Peltonen: Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
Sanni Aalto: Faculty of Social Sciences/Psychology, Tampere University, 33100 Tampere, Finland
Mervi Vänskä: Faculty of Social Sciences/Psychology, Tampere University, 33100 Tampere, Finland
Riina Lepistö: Faculty of Social Sciences/Psychology, Tampere University, 33100 Tampere, Finland
Raija-Leena Punamäki: Faculty of Social Sciences/Psychology, Tampere University, 33100 Tampere, Finland
Emma Soye: School of Education and Social Work, University of Sussex, Falmer Brighton BN1 9RH, UK
Charles Watters: School of Education and Social Work, University of Sussex, Falmer Brighton BN1 9RH, UK
Lutine de Wal Pastoor: Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity and Health, University of Copenhagen, 1353 Copenhagen, Denmark
Ilse Derluyn: Department of Social Work and Social Pedagogy, Centre for the Social Study of Migration and Refugees, Ghent University, 9000 Gent, Belgium
Reeta Kankaanpää: Faculty of Social Sciences/Psychology, Tampere University, 33100 Tampere, Finland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 6, 1-20

Abstract: Background: Schools are considered natural environments in which to enhance students’ social–emotional skills and mental health in general, but they can be especially important for students with refugee and immigrant backgrounds. The current study tested the effectiveness of two school-based interventions in enhancing the mental health and wellbeing of adolescents of native, refugee, and immigrant backgrounds. It further analyzed the role of age, gender, daily stressors, and discrimination in affecting the interventions’ effectiveness. Methods: A three-arm cluster RCT with parallel assignment was applied among the 16 schools. Schools were randomized to three conditions of two active interventions and a waiting-list control condition. Students ( n = 1974) filled in an online questionnaire at baseline before the interventions, after the interventions, and at follow-up an average of 9 months after the interventions. The effectiveness criteria were internalizing and externalizing problems, resilience, and prosocial behavior. Results: Interventions were generally not effective in decreasing mental health problems and increasing psychosocial resources. The expected positive intervention effects were dependent on students’ age and gender and exposure to socioeconomic daily stressors. Conclusion: Interventions enhancing teacher awareness and peer relationships at school should be carefully tailored according to the strengths and vulnerabilities of participating students, especially their daily stress exposure, but also age and gender.

Keywords: school intervention; immigrants; adolescents; mental health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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