Facilitation as a vital skill in mental health promotion: findings from a mixed methods evaluation
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-05-2017-0036 |
| Date | 09 July 2018 |
| Pages | 238-247 |
| Published date | 09 July 2018 |
| Author | Margaret McAllister,Cathie Withyman,Bruce Allen Knight |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Mental health education |
Facilitation as a vital skill in mental
health promotion: findings from a
mixed methods evaluation
Margaret McAllister, Cathie Withyman and Bruce Allen Knight
Abstract
Purpose –The implementation of mental health promotion is a core part of the role for all mental health
professionals. This involves working with individuals and groups to facilitate the uptake and application of new
knowledge, skills and personal attributes. Recently, an Australian intervention that included teaching nurses
and educators the skills of mental health promotion was implemented and evaluated. The purpose of this
paper is to report the findings of the qualitative evaluation and explore specific attributes of this facilitation,
which helps to clarify and articulate a hidden, and taken-for-granted practice.
Design/methodology/approach –A qualitative mixed-methods study was designed to evaluate the
perceivedskills andattributes necessaryfor effectivefacilitation ofa mental health promotionprogram inschools.
Findings –This evaluation revealed that facilitation is more than simply allowing free-flowing discussion
amongst participants. For mental health promotion to be effective, the leader needs to be able to balance
content delivery with flexibility, to use interpersonal behaviors that support and empower, and be willing to
see the self as always learning and growing.
Practical implications –Without explicit training or discussion of facilitation, it is possible that mental health
professionals may slip into teaching didactically. Didactic teaching may not empower learners to articulate
their own views, or internalize and demonstrate new skills. A facilitative approach is more fitting to the values
of twenty-first-century health promotion. Facilitation is a skill that deserves to be taught explicitly within all
mental health promotion courses, so that mental health professionals are inspired to teach in ways that are
transactional, and empowering.
Originality/value –A facilitative approach is more fitting to the values of twenty-first-century health
promotion. This study confirms that facilitation is a skill that deserves to be taught explicitly to all mental health
professionals so they are inspired to implement effec"tive mental health promotion.
Keywords Education, Health promotion, Mental health promotion, Facilitation
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
According to the World Health Organization (2004), mental health service planning and delivery
care are incomplete if they do not cater to the dual objectives of prevention and treatment of
mental disorder. Prevention includes the promotion of mental health and wellbeing, which is a
positive process of enhancing the capacity of individuals and communities to take charge of their
own health (Sharma et al., 2017). Within Australia, national and state policies exist to encourage
health-promoting actions across the lifespan, particularly within schools, where the national
curriculum now explicitly includes health as a content area for learning (National Mental Health
Strategy, 2017; Queensland Mental Health Commission, 2014). This requires collaborative
action amongst school educators and health professionals to develop mental health literacy and
resilience in students ( Jorm, 2015).
Such skills are not developed merely by didactic lecturing processes, but require students to be
actively engaged, offered opportunity to develop mental health literacy and demonstrate
understanding ( Jorm, 2015). Didactic lecturing is embodied in the banking metaphor of teaching
Received 24 May 2017
Revised 16 April 2018
Accepted 30 April 2018
Margaret McAllister is
Professor of Nursing at The
School of Nursing, Midwifery
and Social Sciences, Central
Queensland University,
Noosaville, Australia.
Cathie Withyman is based at
The School of Nursing,
Midwifery and Social Sciences,
Central Queensland University,
Noosaville, Australia.
Bruce Allen Knight is based at
the School of Education and
the Arts, Central Queensland
University, Townsville,
Australia.
PAGE238
j
THE JOURNAL OF MENTALHEALTH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
j
VOL. 13 NO. 4 2018, pp.238-247, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1755-6228 DOI 10.1108/JMHTEP-05-2017-0036
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