Sharpen Minds
MODALITY: curriculum

Go to the Sharpen Minds site to schedule a consultation appointment.

Summary
The Sharpen Mental Health Literacy program is an evidence-based, 5-hour training program for high school students. The course enables students to engage with over 75 peer based documentary films incorporated into comprehensive, strength-based modules covering a range of topics including: humanistic mental health literacy, stigma reduction, suicide prevention, disordered eating prevention, strategies for finding support, and “5 minute mindfulness” techniques for improving personal resilience. The asynchronous program was created by Resiliency Technologies, a public health prevention company whose founder worked for nearly 20 years leading mental health literacy and resiliency trainings in schools. The content assembled into SMHL was built in collaboration with over 25 researchers and has been created utilizing best practices (Semchuck et al, 2023) requiring assessment, community listening and stakeholder input (Gruber et al, 2023).
Resource materials include: Full program guide, manual and resource book, self-report checklist, pre/post knowledge assessments and youth-focused videos.
Rubric and Standards
Mental Health Literacy Components
Decreasing stigma
Understanding how to foster and maintain positive mental health
Understanding how to seek help effectively
Understanding mental health disorders and their treatments
High School Learning Standards
Advocate for reducing stigma associated with emotional and mental and behavioral health
Compare & contrast emotional, mental-behavioral illness, mental well-being and concurrent disorders
Describe how self-harm or suicide impacts other people
Describe laws related to minors accessing mental health care
Explain how to help someone who is thinking about attempting suicide
Identify school and community resources that can help a person with emotional, mental and behavioral health concerns
Implementation
Program Material Cost
$90 per participant or $3000 per school (district pricing also available)
Modality
Classroom Curriculum
Setting
Asynchronous online platform
Grade Level(s)
High
Training Resources
Overview
Sharpen offers an entire implementation training and strategy session / checklist to include the students / educators / clinicians / admin / staff and parents.
Evidence
Study Types
Single group and Mixed methods
Study Samples
10 - 215
Published Studies
Published
Study Type
Sample
Findings
This pilot study provides initial support for the Sharpen Mental Health Literacy Training Program when implemented with undergraduate females.
Published
Study Type
Sample
Findings
The purpose was to assess the impact of a mobile mental health literacy training on foster parents’ perceived stress, resilience, and self-compassion. Participants (n = 142) completed a baseline and post-intervention survey including a demographic questionnaire, brief resilience scale, self-compassion scale-short, and the perceived stress scale. Participants completed the 5-hour Sharpen® Mental Health Literacy training. There was a statistically significant correlation between self-compassion and resilience (r = 0.75), as well as a significant negative relationship between perceived stress and resilience (r = -0.40) and self-compassion (r = -0.36). There was not a statistically significant difference in outcome variables pre- to post-test. Although not statistically significant, there were decreases in stress and increases in self-compassion and resilience from pre- to post-test. Key themes from open-ended responses throughout the training included goals for participating in the training, impact of stigma, stress management practices, and key training take-aways.
Published
Study Type
Sample
Findings
Findings of this pilot study demonstrate the feasibility of implementing MindfulMEDS (an mHealth app focused on mental health and wellness) among medical students. Students found the app experience valuable, accessed mental health screeners embedded within the app, utilized the app to seek help, and engaged with the app to learn more about mental health. There was also a decrease in mental health stigma observed during the course of the study. Based on these results, we propose that medical schools incorporate mobile-based technology into their mental health support programs.