A research study in Colombia, to build capacity in school mental health and to adapt an intervention called DIALOG+ for use in adolescents in post-conflict Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic

INTERVENTION: Sixty adolescents and twelve teachers and school counsellors will be recruited from at least four schools in the Chaparral and Rioblanco municipalities. The unit of randomisation will be the teacher or school counsellor, who will be randomized in a 2:1 ratio to either the intervention (8 teachers/40 adolescents; to have twice‐monthly DIALOG+ meetings for 6 months), or to the usual care control group (4 teachers/20 adolescents; meetings as requested, without DIALOG). The researchers will also collect data on effect estimates, variability, and recruitment and retention rates that would be required for a fully powered, definitive, efficacy trial. After the DIALOG+ adaptation intervention period, focus groups will be conducted with the teachers and also with the students. This will be done to learn more about the experience of implementing the intervention, what worked or did not work, and ways in which the intervention could be improved and implemented in existing public school settings. The group of teachers and counsellors will also discuss their experience with the tool, and their reflections on the diploma course and its impact on the implementation of the DIALOG+ tool. CONDITION: Mental health problems in the school environment ; Mental and Behavioural Disorders PRIMARY OUTCOME: ; 1. Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) measured using the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL) at baseline and 6 months; 2. Symptoms of depression measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐ 8) at baseline and 6 months; 3. Symptoms of anxiety measured using Generalised Anxiety Disorder assessment (GAD‐7) at baseline and 6 months; 4. Quality of life measured using the Manchester Short Assessment (MANSA) at baseline and 6 months; 5. Objective social functioning measured using objective social outcomes index (SIX) at baseline and 6 months; 6. Self‐esteem measured using the Rosenberg self‐esteem scale at baseline and 6 months; 7. Resilience measured using the Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale (CD‐RISC25) at baseline and 6 months; INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Mental Health Training: through the Secretary of Education, the researchers will offer places to teachers and school counsellors from the four identified municipalities of Tolima on the School Mental Health diploma course 2. Mental Health Survey: adolescents (aged 12‐18 years) in eight public schools from Chaparral, Ataco, Rioblanco, and Planadas in Tolima. A convenience sampling method will be employed within the eight selected schools. Adolescents who are willing to participate and whose parents provide informed consent will be enrolled into the study, over a 2 ‐ 3 month recruitment period 3. DIALOG+ Adaptation: adolescents (aged 12‐18 years) who request advice from a teacher or school counsellor SECONDARY OUTCOME: ; The cross‐section prevalence survey in workplace 2 will provide prevalence estimates for key mental health indicators:; 1. Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) measured using the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL) at a single timepoint; 2. Mental health symptoms measured using the Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ; WHO) for participants aged 16‐18 years without the need for diagnosis at a single timepoint; 3. Mental health symptoms measured using the Report Questionnaire for Children (RQC) for participants under 16 years at a single timepoint; 4. Resilience measured using the Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale (CD‐RISC25) at a single timepoint; 5. Symptoms of depression measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐ 8) at a single timepoint; 6. Symptoms of anxiety measured using Generalised Anxiety Disorder assessment (GAD‐7) at a single timepoint; 7. Family functioning measured using the APGAR FAMILIAR, a validated scale in young students from Colombia for assessing family dysfunction, at a single timepoint;