Summary of the evidence on the effectiveness of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training in the workplace
The Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training programme was first developed to train the public in providing help to adults with mental ill-health problems. Recently there has been an increase in undertaking MHFA training in workplace settings.
As the regulator for workplace health and safety, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) wishes to understand the strength of the available evidence on the effectiveness of MHFA in the workplace. A rapid scoping evidence review was undertaken that considered three research questions on the impact, influence and application of MHFA training in workplaces.
A number of knowledge gaps have been identified in this evidence review that mean it is not possible to state whether MHFA training is effective in a workplace setting. There is a lack of published occupationally-based studies, with limited evidence that the content of MHFA training has been considered for workplace settings. There is consistent evidence that MHFA training raises employees' awareness of mental ill health conditions. There is no evidence that the introduction of MHFA training in workplaces has resulted in sustained actions in those trained, or that it has improved the wider management of mental ill-health.
Further literature review, 2023
HSE carried out a literature review to update this evidence in 2023. This review covered all types of mental health first aid training regardless of provider, and HSE researchers adopted a method in line with the original 2018 evidence review.
The researchers found evidence consistent with that reported in 2018. They found that:
- only a small number of published studies have addressed mental health first aid training in occupational settings, and these studies have design and quality limitations
- there is some evidence that mental health first aid training improves trainees' knowledge and understanding of mental health conditions
- there is some evidence that mental health first aid training improves trainees’ confidence, attitudes and behaviours in relation to mental health conditions
- nobody has measured whether the introduction of mental health first aid training has improved the organisational management of mental health in workplaces
- there is limited evidence that the content of mental health first aid training has been adapted for workplace circumstances
- there is limited evidence that mental health first aid training leads to sustained improvement in the ability of those trained to help colleagues experiencing mental ill‐health.
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