Kaija Appelqvist-Schmidlechner

Young men exempted from compulsory military or civil service in Finland — A group of men in need of psychosocial support?:

Aims: The aim of this study was to find out whether young men exempted from compulsory military or civil service constitute a group of young men in need of psychosocial support from the social and health services. Methods: The study involved a total of 356 men exempted from military or civil service and 440 young men conscripted into service. The research data were collected using questionnaires and register data. Results: Men exempted from military or civil service differed from conscripts in terms of psychosocial well-being. Compared with conscripts, they had already been in a more disadvantaged position with regard to their childhood living conditions. As young adults, they had met with a greater number of mental and social problems than conscripts: alcohol-related problems, unemployment, financial problems, homelessness, lack of social support and psychological distress. Young men exempted from service typically suffered from an accumulation of problems. Diverse problems were common particularly among men who had interrupted their service. There was a moderate correlation between current and childhood adversities. Conclusions: Men exempted from military or civil service comprise a group with a wide range of psychosocial problems and are a target group for supportive interventions. Special attention should be paid to the prevention of problems and promotion of well-being of men who interrupt their service. The accumulation of problems poses a challenge for the development of such interventions.

Psychosocial factors associated with suicidal ideation among young men exempted from compulsory military or civil service.

Aims: The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with suicidal ideation among young men exempted from compulsory military or civil service in Finland. Methods: The study involved a total of 356 men exempted from military or civil service. The research data were collected using questionnaires and register data. Results: One third of the young men exempted from compulsory military or civil service reported serious suicidal ideation. Of the men with serious suicidal ideation, one third had attempted suicide. Various childhood adversities and current stressful life events and problems were associated with suicidal ideation. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the following factors were independently associated with suicidal ideation: maternal alcohol-related problems, changes in the family, discord with the boss over the past 12 months, and lack of social support. Accumulation of problems predicted suicidal ideation. Conclusions: Men exempted from compulsory military or civil service comprise an important target group in the prevention of suicide. In order to prevent suicidal behaviour among young men at risk, it is important to address the significance of social support and relationships, and likewise to be aware of early risk indicators such as maternal alcohol-related problems.

Effects of a Psycho-Social Support Programme for Young Men — Randomised Trial of the Time Out! Getting Life Back on Track Programme

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the Time Out! Getting Life Back on Track support programme could influence the psycho-social well-being in an identified risk group of young men. A total of 356 young men exempted from military or civil service were randomly assigned to an intervention and a control group. Men in the intervention group (N = 182) were offered a personal counsellor. The data were collected using questionnaires, interviews and register data. At one-year follow-up psychological distress had decreased in the intervention group more than among controls. The intervention had no impact on alcohol use, self-assessed quality of life, problem accumulation, selfconfidence or contentment. The accumulation of problems poses a challenge for the development of interventions targeted at young people. Even small-scale support can have a positive impact on the general well-being of young men.

Together at school intervention programme. A pilot study on the feasibility and perceived benefits of a programme focusing on improving socio-emotional skills among schoolchildren in Finland

Abstract The aim of the Together at School Intervention Programme developed for the Finnish school system was to improve socio-emotional skills and prevent psychosocial problems among children (7−12 years). The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety and perceived benefits of the programme in order to justify its large-scale implementation for a randomized controlled study. Altogether, 23 classrooms from Grades 1–6 (N = 549, n = 451 children) in four schools participated in the study. Informants were teachers (n = 23), head masters (n = 4), children (n = 451) and their parents. Data were collected by questionnaires at three time points. The different tools assessed were considered to be beneficial for the children by 92−100% of the teachers, and pleasant to participate in by 73−89% of the children. During the follow-up, emotional symptoms reduced significantly among boys. Bullying behaviour was significantly reduced according to both teachers and children. The findings of this pilot study were encouraging.

Psychosocial Support Programme for Young Men at Risk: Who Participates, Who Drops Out?

The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of men who do or do not adhere to a psychosocial support programme. The study involved 170 young men exempted from compulsory military or civil service. The data were collected in a randomised controlled trial by using questionnaires and official registers in Finland. The support programme specifically reached out to young men who had psychological distress and suffered from an accumulation of psychosocial problems. However, men with the most problems could not be reached at all. This study highlights the complexity of adherence to psychosocial interventions. Young men who do not adhere to preventative interventions are a heterogeneous group of men. The need for support can vary a great deal even within an identified risk group.

Dissemination and implementation of the Time Out! Getting Life Back on Track programme – results of an evaluation study

Very little is known about how implementations that follow on from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) affect a programmes impact. The study aimed to use assessments from programme providers to evaluate changes in the impact of the Time Out! Getting Life Back on Track programme. Furthermore, the study aimed to identify factors that enhanced the success of the implementation. The data were gathered at two stages of a nationwide implementation through questionnaires completed by programme counsellors (n = 397 and 359) and key stakeholders (n = 47). Data from a related RCT study were used for comparison (n = 182). According to the assessments of counsellors, the programme had not lost its positive impact on the clients life. Several factors were found to be associated with successful implementation. Successful implementation requires a continuous and longer term multilevel approach at three levels: the research level, the practical level in municipalities and the policy level.