Protecting mental health is a global health priority. While focus often centers on intervention as opposed to prevention, more focus on preventative approaches that promote protective behaviors may constitute a low-cost, widely accessible means towards societal wellbeing.
In the current study, researchers investigated the relationship between the frequency of engaging in mental health protective behaviors and mental wellbeing among adults in West Australia. To do so, they conducted telephone interviews with 603 adults aged 18 years and older.
During interviews, they assessed mental health as well as awareness of a mental health campaign called 'Act Belong Commit', which promoted 15 behaviors that contribute to social connectedness and meaningfulness, including catch-ups with friends, physical activity, practicing spirituality, and helping others.
Ultimately, they found that 86% of participants recognized the campaign and that almost all agreed that mental health should be prioritized similarly to physical health. In terms of health impacts on certain behaviors, the researchers found that those who chatted with others on a daily basis scored 10 points higher on a mental well-being scale than those who did so less than once per week.
The researchers also found that spending time in nature on a daily basis was linked to a five-point increase in well-being scores, and that frequent catch-ups with friends, physical activity, practicing spirituality and helping others were also linked to better mental wellbeing.
The researchers reported that 93% of respondents reported no psychological distress despite the study being carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic. Average well-being scores were similar to those prior to the pandemic.
The study provides a strong case for long-term investment in population-wide mental health promotion campaigns, said lead author of the study, Professor Christina Pollard from Curtin University's School of Population Health, in a press release.
“It's about prevention, not just treatment- helping people stay mentally well before they reach crisis point,” she concluded.
Sources: Science Daily, SSM- Mental Health
