SINGAPORE: A 10-year study to support and track the development of youths with certain mental health and neuro-development conditions was launched on Friday (Nov 22).
The project by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) will kick off with a two-year study called Building Resilience And Intervention (BRAVE). This will involve the screening and diagnosing of participants to establish the prevalence of mental health conditions among them.
The study will focus on autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, and depression – which are the four most common conditions seen at the IMH Child Guidance Clinics, said the institute in a press release.
The study is supported by Temasek Foundation, which provided a grant of S$1.5 million (US$1.1 million).
The second phase of the research project will look at developing and implementing intervention programmes to improve the well-being and resilience of at-risk participants.
The final phase of the study will track participants’ mental health trajectories and examine any possible causal links between the development of these conditions and events that they may experience over time.
According to the Singapore Mental Health Study 2016, one in five youths in Singapore have experienced at least one mental health condition.
Those aged between 18 and 34 made up the highest proportion of individuals with mental health disorders and were more likely to have mood and anxiety disorders.
At a media briefing on Friday, IMH told reporters that it has started recruiting participants.
Invitation letters will be sent in batches to 40,000 randomly identified households with at least one young Singaporean citizen or permanent resident born between 2007 and 2016 over the next few months, it added.
Dr Lim Choon Guan, who is the principal investigator of the BRAVE study, said his team is hoping to get minimally 4,000 participants.
Parents who do not receive a letter for their child born within the targeted years but are interested in having their child participate can also register for the study.
Participants will be screened for mental health issues through an online questionnaire and if required, will be invited to undergo comprehensive assessment to establish the diagnosis.
A follow-up mental health screening will be conducted a year later for all participants to monitor their well-being.
IMH said all screening and assessments, including reports returned to participants, done as part of the study will be free of charge.
While the study does not cover the cost of intervention for any diagnosed conditions, IMH said it will direct participants to a provider relevant to their needs.
All study data and diagnosis will be strictly confidential and will not be shared outside the study team, it added.
Planning for the second and third phases of the study is underway and will “commence as appropriate”, IMH said.
