EFFECT OF SCHOOL-BASED EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTIONS ON DEPRESSION-RELATED HEALTH-SEEKING BEHAVIOUR AMONG IN-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA.

Introduction: Depression is one of the most common mental health diseases among adolescents; the repercussions are penetrating and are visible later in life. Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of school-based educational interventions on depression-related health-seeking behaviour among in-school adolescents in Ogun state, Nigeria. Methodology: A quasi-experimental design comprising of one control group and three experimental groups was conducted. Health Belief Model (HBM) was used for the study. The population of the study was 120 in-school adolescents selected using the multi-stage sampling technique from four (4) selected secondary schools. A validated semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data collected was coded using IBM® SPSS version 23. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at 0.05 level of significance. Findings: The mean±SD ages of the adolescents in the teacher-led, peer-led, teacher-led and peer-led and control groups were 14.43±2.315 years, 14.33±1.605 years, 14.97±1.426 years and 15.43±1.960 years in the teacher-led, peer-led, teacher and peer-led and control groups respectively. Equal number of female and male students were in the teacher-led group but different in other groups 19 (63.3%), 19 (63.3%) and 16 (53.3%). Results established that the students recruited for this study shared similar socio-demographic characteristics. The findings revealed that adolescent’s level of depression health-seeking behaviour significantly increased after the intervention. The teacher-led group had greater health-seeking behaviour scores (mean difference=24.27; effect size=16.04, t = 75.123; p = 0.000). Conclusion and Recommendation: The study established that teacher-led educational intervention had the greatest effect size and change in the level depression health-seeking behaviour among adolescents. This reinforces the opinion that teachers are often able to provide adolescents with key support in which they play the role of mentors in schools. Contribution to theory, practice and policy: The findings of this study which used the HBM theory support the premise that interventions based on theories are effective in influencing behaviour change in which health educators can utilize. A combination of intervention may also be important in influencing specific changes of adolescents’ mental health behaviours. Policy briefs with the study’s findings and concise summary should be communicated to the policy makers with follow up to aid updating mental health policies available.