Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41689215›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

Mental Health First Aid training for Chile and Argentina: protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Martin Agrest, Esteban Encina-Zúñiga, Sara Ardila-Gómez, Marina Ayelén Fernandez, Raquel Gabriel, Jessica Bargamian, Rubén Alvarado, Amy J Morgan, Claire M Kelly, Nicola Reavley

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Martin AgrestProyecto Suma, Buenos Aires, Argentina magrest66@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3756-2229
Esteban Encina-ZúñigaFaculty of Social Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6711-8538
Sara Ardila-GómezConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0022-7438
Marina Ayelén FernandezInstituto de Investigaciones, Universidad de Buenos Aires Facultad de Psicología, Buenos Aires, Argentina.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5767-4047
Raquel GabrielProyecto Suma, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Jessica BargamianDartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.
Rubén AlvaradoDepartment of Public Health, Universidad de Valparaiso, Valparaíso, Chile.
Amy J MorganMelbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3784-0540
Claire M KellyMental Health First Aid Australia, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Nicola ReavleyMelbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5513-8291

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionCommunity support for individuals with mental health problems is a global public health issue. Poor mental health literacy and high levels of stigmatising attitudes among the general population can hinder both help-seeking behaviours and limit the capacity of community members to provide support to people experiencing mental health challenges. The Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training course was created to educate community members to provide initial help towards a person developing a mental health problem. MHFA training has spread to high-income countries, but there is relatively little research on cultural adaptation to lower-resource settings. This study aims to fill that gap and is the first cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) assessing the effectiveness of MHFA training in Chile and Argentina. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The study involves a two-arm wait-list cRCT with 240 participants (120 in each country). The study will be conducted in three settings in each of Chile and Argentina (eg, universities, health services and workplaces). Two clusters per setting in each country will be paired and randomly allocated to the intervention (the MHFA training for Chile and Argentina) or the wait-list control group. Participants in the intervention arm will be asked to complete questionnaires at baseline (T1), after training completion (T2) and 6 months after completion (T3), with control arm participants completing data collection at corresponding time points. The primary outcome will be intended support towards someone experiencing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Secondary outcome measures will include the ability to recognise depression and psychosis in vignettes; beliefs about the helpfulness of different types of interventions and helping actions, confidence in providing MHFA and stigmatising attitudes towards a person with depression or psychosis. Findings will demonstrate whether the culturally adapted MHFA training for Chile and Argentina can effectively enhance intended support, knowledge, attitudes and supportive actions towards other individuals within the community. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval has been granted by the Human Research Ethics Committee at the University of Melbourne (Australia), Proyecto Suma (Argentina) and the University of Chile (Chile). Dissemination will be via academic publications and conference presentations. These will also be made available to participants and other interested parties on request. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN63724445.

Indexed as

First AidMental DisordersMental HealthArgentinaChileHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicResearch DesignSurveys and QuestionnairesHealth LiteracyMENTAL HEALTHSocial Support

Identifiers

PMID41689215
PMCPMC12911734

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.