Abstract

GOMEZ-RESTREPO, Carlos et al. The knowledge acquired during and adherence to a postgraduate course concerned with mental health aimed at school counselors. Rev. salud pública [online]. 2014, vol.16, n.6, pp.821-833. ISSN 0124-0064.  https://doi.org/10.15446/rsap.v16n6.51830.

Objective To evaluate the academic performance in, and adherence to, a postgraduate course focused on promotion, prevention, identification, and early intervention with regard to the different mental problems and pathologies affecting children and adolescents. Materials and Methods This was a before-and-after intervention study involving a postgraduate course. The population of school counselors from the Colombian regions of Boyacá and Cundinamarca were invited to participate in a postgraduate course that addressed mental health. Their knowledge was evaluated before and after having received it. Results The school counselors performed well on the academic test, with 48.5 % of the population obtaining a score of 4.0/5.0 before the intervention. After the course, 61.2 % achieved the same score. It was thus considered that the course functioned as a tool for improving knowledge about promotion, prevention, recognition, and early intervention with regard to mental health in educational institutions. There was a 90.6 % adherence to the 120-hour-long postgraduate course. Conclusion The postgraduate course seemed to have a positive impact in terms of the knowledge acquired about mental health, and there was good adherence to the course.

Keywords : Education; mental health; child; adolescent; students; distance education.

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