StresSOS prevention program: An important step for youth health!

StresSOS prevention program: An important step for youth health!

Today, the focus is on research into the mental health of young people: A new doctoral thesis by Laya Lehner at the Schwäbisch Gmünd University of Education presents important results on the prevention of mental illnesses. The topic of her dissertation is “School-Based Prevention of Mental Illnesses in Adolescents” and shows that Internet-based programs can play a key role in preventing such illnesses. Specifically, as part of the study, the prevention program StresSOS was developed, which was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The study was based on a randomized controlled study with 1118 participants between 12 and 25 years old. About half received access to StresSOS, while the other half underwent a placebo program. The results are promising: After one year, 80% of participants who used StresSOS were mentally healthy - compared to 70% in the control group. What is particularly noteworthy is that when actively using the program, 86% of the young people remained mentally stable.

Contents and goals of StresSOS

The StresSOS program includes eight modules that are activated weekly. Their content ranges from information about mental health and stress management to life skills taught through texts, videos and audios. Each unit is supplemented with tasks and quizzes to deepen learning.

A critical element of the study is the fact that more girls and high school students participated, which may limit the generalizability of the results. Nevertheless, the study shows that online prevention offers are important for maintaining mental health. The alarming figures regarding psychological problems among young people, which range between 20% and 16%, illustrate the need for action.

The ProHEAD project

The ProHEAD project, which stands for “Promoting Help-seeking using E-technology for ADolescents”, offers not only the StresSOS application, but also comprehensive online support for health promotion and prevention of mental problems. The program is free and accessible from anywhere at any time. The content focuses on healthy living, stress avoidance and access to professional help.

With a cooperation between several locations across Germany, including Hamburg, Heidelberg, Leipzig, Mannheim, Marburg and Schwäbisch Gmünd, ProHEAD aims to strengthen children and young people. The initiative was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and data collection for the project was successfully completed in August 2023. Approximately 10,000 students took part in the surveys, almost half of whom also took part in health programs or professional support services. The data is currently in the evaluation phase and the publication of the results is imminent.

Mental health in the context of the pandemic

Global challenges, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, have placed additional strain on young people's mental health. Studies show that many young people report worsening mental health since the start of the pandemic. UNICEF highlights that mental health problems often begin in adolescence and many go undetected. It is recommended that prevention programs be implemented as early as possible and that the stigma surrounding mental health services be reduced through educational outreach. In addition, offers should always be developed in direct dialogue with young people in order to take their specific needs into account.

The research and programs such as StresSOS and ProHEAD are crucial to helping young people manage psychological stress and promote healthy lifestyles. They open up perspectives that address the mental challenges of an entire generation. Ultimately, it is of utmost importance to create an environment in which young people can easily access help and support to sustainably strengthen their mental health.