Cecilia A. Essau

Promoting mental health among at-risk adolescents in Malaysia (MyHeRo Study)
[funded by: Kavli Trust]


Research team


























Background
Between 20-40% of the adolescents in Malaysia had anxiety and depression, and 10% had attempted suicide, exceeding Southeast Asian and global comparators. Adolescents from low-income families and socially marginalised groups have the highest prevalence of anxiety and depression which is often linked to rapid societal changes. 

Study Goals
- Evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a school-based psychosocial intervention (“Super Skills for Life”; SSL) in reducing anxiety and depression, and in improving mental wellbeing in adolescents aged 12-14 years. 
- Determine the characteristics of adolescents who benefit from SSL, compared to those who do not.
- Identify contextual factors related to the successful implementation of SSL in Malaysian schools.  

Setting
The study will be conducted in secondary schools in economically deprived regions in rural and urban areas in the Malaysian states of Sarawak, Sabah, and Selangor. 

Study Design











Trial Design
The trial design will use a cluster randomised controlled trial with two arms comparing Super Skills for Life (SSL) to Study Skills Programme (SSP) using a 1:1 allocation ratio. Classrooms will be the cluster unit for randomisation.