Sustained mental health outcomes from the youth readiness intervention: A four-year effectiveness follow-up of a hybrid type II trial in Sierra Leone.
Wijnand Van Den Boom, Kathryn Noon, Shuangshuang Yang et al.
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In 30 seconds
This study evaluated the long-term mental health outcomes of the Youth Readiness Intervention (YRI) combined with entrepreneurship training (ENTR) in Sierra Leone, four years post-intervention. In a cluster-randomized trial involving 584 participants, those receiving YRI+ENTR showed sustained improvements in depression and combined depression/anxiety symptoms, with effect sizes of -0.111 and -0.096, respectively.
Key findings
- Participants receiving YRI+ENTR showed a significant reduction in depression (β = -.057; 95% CI -0.09 to -0.02).
- Combined depression/anxiety symptoms decreased significantly in the YRI+ENTR group (β = -.047; 95% CI -0.08 to -0.01).
- No sustained effects were observed for daily functioning or emotion regulation in any group.
- COVID-19-related economic stressors significantly impacted mental health outcomes.
Why it matters
The findings highlight the potential of community-based interventions to sustain mental health improvements in low-resource settings, particularly during crises. Clinicians should consider the role of integrated programs in enhancing resilience and coping strategies among vulnerable populations.