The purpose of this paper is to describe a participatory action research process on the development of a professional practice model of mental health nurses in mental health promotion in a comprehensive school environment in the city of Oulu, Finland. The developed model is a new method of mental health promotion for mental health nurses working in comprehensive schools. The professional practice model has been developed in workshops together with school staff, interest groups, parents and students. Information gathered from the workshops was analysed using action research methods. Mental health promotion interventions are delivered at three levels: universal, which is an intervention that affects the whole school or community; selective, which is an intervention focusing on a certain group of students; and indicated, which is an individually focused intervention. All interventions are delivered within the school setting, which is a universal setting for all school-aged children. The interventions share the goal of promoting mental health. The purposes of the interventions are enhancing protective factors, reducing risk factors relating to mental health problems and early identification of mental health problems as well as rapid delivery of support or referral to specialized services. The common effect of the interventions on all levels is the increase in the experience of positive mental health.

The northern provinces of Finland are mostly not densely populated, with long distances to healthcare services. This creates a challenge for how to reach all children and adolescents with mental health services. In order to assess the effectiveness of school-based mental health promotion interventions, it is essential to understand the views of school professionals on student well-being and mental health promotion activity in schools. This study was carried out in urban area comprehensive schools where psychiatric nurses delivered additional mental health promotion interventions. The data were collected using a questionnaire, and a mixed-methods approach was utilised in the analysis. School professionals perceived that students are more unwell than before; they exhibit a general disregard for their well-being and more mental health problems. The respondents regarded the promotion of students' mental health as a basic function of schools. Teachers need adequate support with this work.

Objective: Adolescence is a vulnerable age for emerging mental health problems, but also a time at which the foundations for a healthy lifestyle are established. Attitudes towards mental health problems and the ability to recognise them can be affected at this age. The aim of this study was to describe a psychoeducative intervention aimed at increasing knowledge of mental health problems and decreasing the stigma of mental health disorders among eighth-grade students in Finland. Design: Mixed-methods exploration of how a universal psychoeducation delivered in the classroom can affect attitudes towards, and recognition of, mental health disorders and how young people perceive the psychoeducation received. Setting: The study involved 162 eighth-grade students in two comprehensive schools in Finland. Method: The intervention consisted of four lessons on the topics of anxiety, eating disorders, conduct disorder, and depression and substance use. Results: Students in both the intervention and non-intervention groups recognised the symptoms of mental health disorders well before and after the intervention, and the intervention improved boys’ ability to recognise conduct disorder. Following the intervention, students saw mental health disorders as real medical conditions. Students experienced the intervention as beneficial, increasing their knowledge, understanding and open-mindedness with regards to mental health. Conclusion: Mental health promotion interventions have the goal of increasing the ability of individuals to understand mental health issues and engage in self-care of mental health. Providing mental health promotion interventions to young people has the potential to increase knowledge and skills in maintaining a healthy lifestyle in adulthood.

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