Validating the Co-worker Mental Health Awareness Training program (CHAT)

Abstract

Mental health issues are extremely common in Canadian organizations, with 1 in 5 Canadians experiencing a mental illness every year. There are a host of negative outcomes for both organizations and individuals associated with mental health problems. Mental illnesses are still highly stigmatized. One strategy that previous research has shown to be effective in reducing stigma around mental illness in organizations is mental health awareness training (MHAT) for leaders. The aim of the current study is to test the validity of the sister program of the MHAT, the Co-Worker Mental Health Awareness Training Program (CHAT) for employees. The present study uses a wait-list control design in two Maritime organizations (N = 33) to test the effectiveness of the CHAT on various outcomes, such as self-efficacy in recognizing and addressing mental health problems in the workplace, psychological health and safety, attitudes and willingness to use resources. Results showed that compared to the employees in the control group, those employees who were trained with the CHAT displayed higher self-efficacy in recognizing and addressing mental health problems in the workplace, and higher mental health promotion intentions. These results provide partial support for the effectiveness of the CHAT, and have practical and methodological implications.