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Basisontwerp course Interprofessionele samenwerking bij Infant Mental Health

Whether and how coaching for mental health and well-being should be offered in post-Covid-19 pandemic Dutch higher vocational education: coaches’ perceptions

In this article, the outcomes of a survey aimed to investigate how aware of and how capable coaches in higher vocational Dutch education perceive themselves to assist students displaying mental health and well-being issues are presented. Additionally, the article explores coaches’ perceptions regarding the frequency, form of help offered, topics to be tackled and the preferred form in which this help should be provided. The author conducted a survey that gathered qualitative and quantitative data from coaches (N 5 82) at a Dutch University of Applied Sciences in the north of the Netherlands. A differentiation in coaches’ number of years of teaching and coaching experience was considered.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on working conditions and mental well-being of mental health professionals in the Netherlands

ABSTRACT Objectives To examine the extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and well-being of mental health professionals (MHPs) in the Netherlands and understand their needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design and setting A cross-sectional, mixed-methods study was conducted with MHPs from the Netherlands from June 2020 to October 2020, consisting of an online survey and three online focus group discussions. Participants Participants were MHPs from various occupational groups (psychologists, social workers, mental health nurses, developmental education workers, etc). Primary and secondary outcome measures The online survey included questions about work-related changes due to COVID-19 perceived resilience to stress, changes in lifestyle behaviours and mental health symptoms. The focus group discussions focused mostly on work experiences during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results MHP’s reported an increase in experience workload during the pandemic (mean score 8.04 based on a scale of 1-10) compared to before the pandemic (mean score of 7). During the first wave of the pandemic, 50% of respondents reported increased stress, 32% increased sleeping problems and 24% increased mental health problems. Adverse occupational (eg, increased workload OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.28–2.32), psychological (eg, life satisfaction OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.52–0.75), lifestyle (eg, increased sleep problems OR 2.80, 95% CI 2.07–3.80) and physical factors (decline in physical health OR 3.56, 95% CI 2.61–4.85) were associated with a decline in mental health. Participants expressed significant concern in the focus group discussions about the duration of the pandemic, the high workload, less work-life balance and lack of contact with colleagues. Suggestions to improve working conditions included ensuring clear communication about guidelines and facilitating worker contact and support via peer-to- peer coaching where experiences can be shared. Conclusions The current study indicates that MHP experienced a decline in mental health status during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which should be taken into consideration by employers, policymakers and researchers.

Socioeconomic status and mental health during the COVID-19 crisis

Background Evidence about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on existing health inequalities is emerging. This study explored differences in mental health, sense of coherence (SOC), sense of community coherence (SOCC), sense of national coherence (SONC), and social support between low and high socioeconomic (SES) groups, and the predictive value of these predictors for mental health. participants and procedure A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey in the Netherlands in October 2021, comprising a total of 91 respondents (n = 41, low SES; n = 50, high SES). results There were no differences in mental health, SOC, SOCC, SONC, and social support between the groups. SOC was a predictor for mental health in both groups and SOCC for the low SES group. conclusions We found that both SOC and SOCC predict mental health during the pandemic. In the article we reflect on possible pathways for strengthening these resources for mental health.

'Take a Mental Break!' study

Background Running-related injuries (RRIs) can be considered the primary enemy of runners. Most literature on injury prediction and prevention overlooks the mental aspects of overtraining and under-recovery, despite their potential role in injury prediction and prevention. Consequently, knowledge on the role of mental aspects in RRIs is lacking. Objective To investigate mental aspects of overtraining and under-recovery by means of an online injury prevention programme. Methods and analysis The ‘Take a Mental Break!’ study is a randomised controlled trial with a 12 month follow-up. After completing a web-based baseline survey, half and full marathon runners were randomly assigned to the intervention group or the control group. Participants of the intervention group obtained access to an online injury prevention programme, consisting of a running-related smartphone application. This app provided the participants of the intervention group with information on how to prevent overtraining and RRIs with special attention to mental aspects. The primary outcome measure is any self-reported RRI over the past 12 months. Secondary outcome measures include vigour, fatigue, sleep and perceived running performance. Regression analysis will be conducted to investigate whether the injury prevention programme has led to a lower prevalence of RRIs, better health and improved perceived running performance. Ethics and dissemination The Medical Ethics Committee of the University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands, has exempted the current study from ethical approval (reference number: NL64342.041.17). Results of the study will be communicated through scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, scientific reports and presentations on scientific conferences.

Improving mental health literacy in secondary school educational professionals in the netherlands

BACKGROUND: Advanced interventions to enhance the mental health literacy (MHL) of educational professionals are now available, though their effectiveness varies, likely due to contextual differences. To adapt these interventions for use in other countries, a systematic and tailored approach is required to maintain the logical framework. This study describes the systematic process of selecting and adapting an intervention to improve MHL of Dutch secondary school educational professionals, using Intervention Mapping (IM) Adapt.METHODS: IM Adapt regards six steps: (1) assess needs and organizational capacity; (2) find evidence-based interventions; (3) plan adaptations; (4) make adaptations; (5) plan for implementation; and (6) plan for evaluation.RESULTS: The outcomes of a needs assessment were used to develop a logic model of the problem and of change, leading to the intervention goal of increasing mental health awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy among end-users. A logic model of the problem and of change visually outlines the relationship between a specific issue, its root causes, and the intended intervention to drive change. The existing evidence-based digital intervention, named LEARN, was identified as the most suitable for addressing these needs. This was done through reviewing the literature and existing intervention databases. Four main content adaptations were made to align with the distinct needs of the Dutch context and the evolving trends within the field of mental health, resulting in LEARN-NL, a digital mental health literacy intervention for Dutch educational professionals. Finally, implementers were identified, and a mixed methods feasibility study was set up.CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that some content adaptations to LEARN were needed to address the needs and (learning) preferences of educational professionals in the Dutch education context, but that the majority of the existing intervention could be upheld. Existing evidence-based MHL interventions for educational professionals are useful as a basis for the adaptation and transfer to other countries. IM Adapt is a valuable framework for the systematic planning of adaptations to a new context while retaining its essential elements.