Effects of a Psycho-Social Support Programme for Young Men — Randomised Trial of the Time Out! Getting Life Back on Track Programme |
| |
| Authors: | Kaija Appelqvist-Schmidlechner Maila Upanne Markus Henriksson Kai Parkkola Eija Stengård |
| |
| Institution: | 1. National Institute for Health &2. Welfare , Helsinki;3. Finnish Defence Forces , Centre for Military Medicine , Lahti;4. University of Tampere, Tampere School of Public Health , Finland;5. National Institute for Health and Welfare , Helsinki , Finland;6. National Supervisory Authority for Welfare &7. Health , Helsinki;8. Finnish Defence Forces , Centre for Military Medicine , Lahti , Finland;9. Navy Command , Turku , Finland;10. Welfare , Helsinki , Finland |
| |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this study was to examine whether the Time Out! Getting Life Back on Track support programme could influence the psycho-social well-being in an identified risk group of young men. A total of 356 young men exempted from military or civil service were randomly assigned to an intervention and a control group. Men in the intervention group (N = 182) were offered a personal counsellor. The data were collected using questionnaires, interviews and register data. At one-year follow-up psychological distress had decreased in the intervention group more than among controls. The intervention had no impact on alcohol use, self-assessed quality of life, problem accumulation, selfconfidence or contentment. The accumulation of problems poses a challenge for the development of interventions targeted at young people. Even small-scale support can have a positive impact on the general well-being of young men. |
| |
| Keywords: | intervention randomised trial young men psycho-social well-being military service prevention |
|
|
