Examination of the impact of a secondary school mental health and wellbeing promotion programme upon the physical self-perception, body image concerns and worries of early adolescent males

Abstract

Poor mental health and wellbeing are salient issues among young male adolescents, with young males having high rates of mental health issues and lower help-seeking behaviours. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a secondary school-based mental health and wellbeing programme targeting 11- to 13-year-old male adolescents. The programme was designed in response to male adolescent mental health issues identified by school administrators, school counsellors and pastoral care coordinators, and utilises the input of students and school administration staff as a way to develop, analyse and improve the support for adolescent males during this time. Data were collected using a quantitative questionnaire at baseline, post-intervention and at a 16-month follow-up. The intervention programme was conducted among a cohort of secondary school males in Year 7 (n=160) at one school, and results were compared to an age-matched control group (n=43). Findings from this study illustrated the differences and similarities among female and male adolescents in terms of body image, self-perception and worries and concerns. In particular, male participants scored significantly higher than their female counterparts for all of the four categories using the Stunkard Scale Figure Perception Scale, indicating that a larger figure is both perceived and preferable. Results showed intervention participants increased in self-perception and decreased worries and stress. Body image did not change significantly in either group. The results of the current study bring an analytic focus to contextual influences of male adolescent mental health within school settings, offer a critical and comparative assessment of a school-based mental health and wellbeing programme specifically designed for male adolescents in liaison with school administration and school counsellor, and develop a sociologically grounded argument for the integral contribution of the school counsellor. In addition, results illustrate the need to understand that male adolescents represent a special population group with unique developmental and emotional needs. The results of this project are intended to guide future work within the secondary school setting for addressing mental health and wellbeing for male adolescents.