Resident Assistant Training Program for Increasing Alcohol, Other Drug, and Mental Health First-Aid Efforts

Abstract

In college and university residence halls, resident assistants (RAs) are expected to serve as first-aid providers to students who may have alcohol, other drug, mental health, and academic problems. Despite this responsibility, evidence-based, first-aid programs have not been developed and tested for the RA workforce. The current study examined effects of an investigational first-aid program designed specifically for RAs. The online Peer Hero Training program is a novel approach to RA training in its use of interactive video dramatizations of incidents involving substance-using or distressed residents. A 9-month randomized trial conducted on 8 U.S. campuses compared RAs who participated in the Peer Hero Training program to RAs who received training-as-usual. Participation in the Peer Hero Training program significantly increased RA first-aid efforts for residential students who may have had alcohol, other drug, mental health, or academic problems six months after baseline. Compared to those in the training-as-usual condition, RAs in the Peer Hero Training program made more than 10 times as many first-aid efforts for possible alcohol problems, almost 14 times the number of first-aid efforts for possible drug use, almost 3 times the number of first-aid efforts for possible mental health problems, and 3 times the number of first-aid efforts for academic problems. There was no evidence that measured RA attitudes mediated the effects of the intervention. Results of this preliminary evaluation trial suggest that online training using interactive video dramatizations is a viable approach to strengthening RAs’ ability to provide alcohol, other drug, and mental health first-aid to undergraduates.

Implementing mental health training programmes for non-mental health trained professionals: A qualitative synthesis

“…This meta-synthesis focusing on the qualitative evidence is designed to complement and provide additional insights to a wider systematic review of the quantitative evidence on the effectiveness of mental health training programmes for non-mental health specialists being undertaken by our team[ 8 ]. The qualitative evidence corresponds with a number of studies that suggest that training interventions that include dramatisations and role play are beneficial for learning [ 33 – 38 ]. Our review also highlights that training which is delivered using a range of delivery methods, a mixture of resources and interactive elements is valued.…”

Mental health training programmes for non-mental health trained professionals coming into contact with people with mental ill health: a systematic review of effectiveness

“…Attendees were taught how to help a suicidal person, a person having a panic attack, a person who has experienced a traumatic event and a psychotic person threatening violence.An Australian team taught three Swedish main instructors, who then taught 18 instructors who implemented the training program. All the instructors had experience of MH work in some form, such as health care staff and volunteers in user organisations.An MHFA manual in SwedishRCTFace-to-faceTeam basedInteractiveTraining was given at worksites or local colleges localities in classes12 h (equally spread over 2 days)Thombs et al (2015) [14]Peer Hero Training Program: uses a story-based approach to emphasise Resident Assistants (RAs) need to show courage in carrying out their responsibilities as MH & alcohol/other drug first-aid providers.Improve skills, knowledge and confidence in managing their ‘First-aid’ response in relation to MH and alcohol/other drug situations for students living in university residences. Address the RA’s four critical attitudes which affect their ability to manage these ‘first-aid’ situations: perceived referral barriers, referral self-efficacy, referral anticipatory anxiety, and perceived referral norms.University RAsProgram has three components, all in video format.…”

“…One systematic review [ 13 ], 12 RCTs [ 14 – 25 ] and three prospective non-RCTs of police training [ 26 – 28 ], were included. In addition we included three non-comparative evaluations of mental health related training interventions specifically for the police in England [ 29 – 31 ].…”

“…Aims to improve knowledge, attitudes, confidence and behaviour for dealing with students MH problems Teachers Waiting list 327 327 Australia Pre and post intervention and 6-month follow up questionnaire 14 schools Lipson et al (2014) [ 21 ] Cluster RCT Mental Health First Aid. Aims to improve attitudes and increase knowledge and self-efficacy to manage MH issues Resident advisors Usual practice 254 2543 32 colleges and universities USA Surveys 2–3 months pre and post training Svensson & Hansson (2014) [ 16 ] RCT Mental Health First Aid (translated and modified) To improve MH literacy and give skills to provide help to people with MH problems Public sector staff Waiting list 406 406 Questionnaires and vignette 1 month pre intervention; 6 months post intervention and 2 year follow-up Sweden Thombs et al (2015) [ 14 ] Cluster RCT Peer Hero Training Programme. Aims to improve skills, knowledge & confidence in managing responses to MH and other situations Resident assistants Usual practice 652 566 c USA On-line survey at baseline, follow-ups at 3, 7 and 9 months 8 campuses Other non-mental health trained professionals: Interventions with a specific mental health focus Hart & More (2013) [ 24 ] RCT Audio-visual synchronous podcast of information related to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with the aim of improving knowledge Trainee teachers Alternative training 79 79 USA Pre and post intervention survey Kolko et al (2012) [ 22 ] RCT Alternatives for Families: A Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy (AF-CBT).…”

“…Some validated instruments were used, but most were then modified by the exclusion of questions and/or addition of new questions [ 20 – 22 , 31 ]. Many questionnaires were developed by the researchers specifically for their study [ 14 – 16 , 19 – 21 , 23 – 25 , 29 , 30 ]; most undertook some form of check for internal consistency [ 14 , 19 , 20 , 22 , 24 – 26 ].…”