Online HOPE intervention on mental health literacy among youths in Singapore: An RCT protocol

Aims The study aims to examine the effectiveness of the online HOPE intervention to increase mental health literacy (MHL), psychological well-being (PWB); and in reducing stress among youths aged 18-24 living in Singapore. Design The study will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will adopt a single-group pre-post repeated quasi-experimental research design. The second phase adopts a two-group, parallel randomized control trial, with a pre-test, posttest and follow-up. Methods The study will be conducted in a University in Singapore, in 2019-2021. Participants will be recruited and randomly assigned into one of the two groups. Approval from the institutional review board has been obtained in August 2019. Research funding from National Youth Fund has been obtained in November 2019. Outcome measures will be measured using Depression Literacy Questionnaire, Anxiety literacy Questionnaire, validated depression vignette, Ryff's PWB Scale and Perceived Stress Scale, at baseline, postintervention and 2 months' follow-up. Participants' perceptions of the intervention will be measured qualitatively. Discussion The online HOPE intervention had been developed based on the principles of the Self-Efficacy Theory. Impact There is no research about MHL intervention in Singapore. Low MHL prevents early help-seeking and delays treatment. Hence, this study highlights the importance of mental health public education as primary care. Increased MHL will enhance early help-seeking behaviours, promoting early recovery and enhancing the health of the young people worldwide.