Evaluating the Impact of Aevidum on Mental Health Knowledge, Attitudes, and Help-Seeking Behaviors in High School Students: A Mixed-Methods Study
Pattison, K. L., Lehman, E., Molinari, A., Costigan, H., Pileggi, F., Stuckey, H., & Sekhar, D. L. (2024). American Journal of Health Promotion, 38(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/08901171231204473.
-
examining737Students, grades9-12
Single Study Review
Review Details
Reviewed: June 2026
- Single Study Review (findings for Aevidum Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Curriculum plus Aevidum Clubs)
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards with reservations because it is a cluster randomized controlled trial with high individual-level non-response, but provides evidence of effects on individuals by satisfying the baseline equivalence requirement for the individuals in the analytic intervention and comparison groups.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
How often teachers speak to students about their emotions and feelings (item from the University of Michigan Peer-2-Peer Depression Awareness Assessment) |
Aevidum Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Curriculum plus Aevidum Clubs vs. Aevidum Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Curriculum |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
0.01 |
-0.08 |
No |
-- |
|
Reported degree of embarrassment students would feel if they were seen going into the office of their school social worker or school psychologist (item from the University of Michigan Peer-2-Peer Depression Awareness Assessment) |
Aevidum Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Curriculum plus Aevidum Clubs vs. Aevidum Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Curriculum |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
-0.21 |
-0.16 |
No |
-- |
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
-
Female: 49%
Male: 47%
Other or unknown: 3% -
- B
- A
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- I
- H
- J
- K
- L
- P
- M
- N
- O
- Q
- R
- S
- V
- U
- T
- W
- X
- Z
- Y
- a
- h
- i
- b
- d
- e
- f
- c
- g
- j
- k
- l
- m
- n
- o
- p
- q
- r
- s
- t
- u
- v
- x
- w
- y
Pennsylvania
-
Race Asian 2% Black 2% Other or unknown 11% White 86% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 8% Other or unknown 92% -
Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch Other or unknown 100%
Study Details
Setting
The study occurred in ten public high schools in Pennsylvania.
Study sample
High school students were included in the study. The researchers randomly assigned five schools to offer the Aevidum Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Curriculum plus Aevidum Clubs and five schools to offer only the Aevidum Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Curriculum. There were 737 students in the analytic sample, 345 in the Curriculum plus Clubs condition and 392 in the Curriculum-only condition.
Intervention Group
The intervention group received the Aevidum Mental Health & Suicide Prevention curriculum plus the Aevidum club. The study evaluated the effect of adding the Aevidum club to the curriculum. The Aevidum Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Curriculum consists of 5 lessons, which may be given in one 3-hour session or broken into smaller segments. There are videos that pair with the lessons. The intent of the Aevidum club, which can be implemented independently of the curriculum, is to foster cultures of caring, kindness, and advocacy. Schools were asked to carry out two club campaigns/activities during the academic year. Club campaigns have included “Be Kind to Your Mind,” an after-school “hangout” initiative, and “Twosday,” a tutu dress-up day to signify the hourly number (twenty-two) of adolescents who attempt suicide. Additional activities have included spirit weeks and participation in homecoming parades.
Comparison Group
The comparison condition implemented the Aevidum Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Curriculum without the club component.
Support for implementation
The intervention group clubs received an Aevidum starter kit, which included posters, banners, posters, and promotional materials. They also received campaign ideas and wristbands with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number. Schools implementing the club participated in a virtual "Talk" workshop and were mailed the starter kit. Schools are asked to have about ten students and 2 educators attend the 1-day training workshop, which was facilitated by students and adult advisors from an active club. Intervention group schools received a $1k stipend to support club activities, with no restrictions other than activities relate to mental health. School staff from both the intervention and comparison groups participated in a one-hour educator workshop.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
The result of the WWC assessment of the study. The rating is based on the strength of evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention. Studies are given a rating of Meets WWC Design Standards without Reservations, Meets WWC Design Standards with Reservations, or >Does Not Meet WWC Design Standards.
A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, statistical significance, and sample size of the findings within a domain, the WWC assigns effectiveness ratings as one of the following: Tier 1 (strong evidence), Tier 2 (moderate evidence), Tier 3 (promising evidence), uncertain effects, and negative effects. For more detail, please see the WWC Handbook.
The WWC may review studies for multiple purposes, including different reports and re-reviews using updated standards. Each WWC review of this study is listed in the dropdown. Details on any review may be accessed by making a selection from the drop down list.
Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).