Author Information
Qiang Chen, Peking University, ChinaYinyin Zang, Peking University, China
Abstract
Eating disorders are significant mental health challenges, particularly among adolescents. Poor mental health literacy can hinder treatment effectiveness and discourage help-seeking behaviors. Preventive programs aimed at improving literacy around eating disorders may enhance outcomes and promote early intervention. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a school-based program to improve eating disorder mental health literacy (ED-MHL) among adolescents, boosting knowledge, mental well-being, and confidence in helping others. A total of 1396 students from two secondary schools in China were randomly assigned to either the intervention or waitlist control group. ED-MHL, eating disorder symptoms (SCOFF), weight concerns (WCS), depressive symptoms (PHQ-4), and confidence in helping others were measured at baseline, 1 week, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks post-intervention. Multilevel models were used to assess changes in outcomes over time. The ITT analysis showed significant improvements in ED-MHL in the intervention group, with a large effect at post-test (d = 0.98) and moderate effect at the 12-week follow-up (d = 0.70). Significant reductions in SCOFF, WCS, PHQ-4 were also found, although effect sizes were small (d = -0.15 to -0.34). The intervention increased participants' confidence in helping others, with the largest effect at 1 week (d = 0.50), maintaining significance at 12 weeks (d = 0.18). A school-based prevention program can significantly improve ED-MHL and confidence in helping others, offering a promising strategy for early intervention and prevention of eating disorders among adolescents. These findings highlight the importance of integrating such programs into school curricula for broader youth mental health initiatives.
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