Dr Jack Andrews, University of Oxford 

Evaluating universal school-based interventions for mental health
Abstract: School based interventions for mental health have been widely implemented in an attempt to curtail increasing rates of mental health problems among young people. These interventions take many forms, they can be universal, targeted, or indicated. In this talk I will focus on universal interventions for adolescent mental health - interventions that are delivered to all young people in a school, year group, or class. Despite metanalytic evidence demonstrating average, small, positive effects, these interventions also carry potential problems. Several recently published trials have now shown null and iatrogenic effects from CBT, Mindfulness and DBT informed universal interventions. I will discuss in detail the results of one such trial conducted in Australia - The Climate Schools Trial. I will then discuss the implications of these findings and speculate possible mechanisms and solutions.