Testing the efficacy of a mental health education program for military recruits

INTERVENTION: Incoming Anglophone platoons will be assigned, using blocked randomization, to either the Intervention (i.e., receiving R2MR early on in the BMQ) or a delayed intervention control (i.e., receiving R2MR later on in BMQ). R2MR involves participants attending a 160‐minute class about mental health literacy, stress management skills, and attitudes towards mental healthcare. Baseline measures will be collected at the beginning, mid‐point, and end of the BMQ training. In the observational study of Francophone recruits, all Francophone platoons will receive R2MR at the beginning of BMQ. The data collection schedule will be identical to the Anglophone study. CONDITION: Psychological well‐being ; Mental and Behavioural Disorders PRIMARY OUTCOME: The following measures will be collected at the beginning (week 2), mid‐point (week 5), and end (week 9) of the BMQ training:; 1. Psychological health, measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and Subjective Units of Distress Scale; 2. Psychological resilience, measured using the Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale and Test of Performance Strategies; 3. Mental health service use attitudes and intentions, measured using the Canadian Armed Forces Mental Health Service Use Questionnaire and R2MR Program Evaluation Form SECONDARY OUTCOME: Training graduation rate, indicated by performance in the BMQ course at week 9 (completion of the BMQ) INCLUSION CRITERIA: Group randomized controlled trial: 1. Anglophone 2. Canadian Armed Forces non‐commissioned member recruits 3. Partaking in the Basic Military Qualification training at Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School 4. Ages 16‐65, inclusive Parallel observational study: 1. Francophone 2. Canadian Armed Forces non‐commissioned member recruits 3. Partaking in the Basic Military Qualification training at Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School 4. Ages 16‐65, inclusive