Psychological support to promote mental health and well-being among young carers in Europe (Me-We), 2021

Research project “Psychological support for the promotion of mental health and well-being among young carers in Europe” (ME-WE), funded by the European Union (H2020; 2018-2021), aimed at developing an innovative primary prevention intervention programme for young carers aged between 15 and 17. The programme was implemented in six European countries (Sweden - coordinator, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom). It was developed on the basis of the theoretical framework of the DNA-V model or in Slovenian ROS-V: Researcher (Discoverer), Observer (Noticer), Advisor (Advisor) and Values (Values). The model is derived from the Dedication and Acceptance Therapy (ACT). It is suitable for working with adolescents to promote their well-being. The authors conducted a randomized controlled study with a factor design of two to three replicate measurements. Two different methods of implementation were used: a) a face-to-face approach (carried out in Italy, Slovenia and the UK) and b) a mixed approach combining face-to-face and online meetings with the ZOOM web tool and the ME-WE mobile application, which was co-created with the help of young carers in the early stages of the project (implemented in Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands). In order to take into account the restrictions and precautions put in place at country level due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the intervention programme has been fully transposed into the online environment. In the content itself no changes have been made to the programme and therefore the implemented intervention programme is equivalent to the pre-COVID-19 version in an online format. Results were monitored at individual level. Participants in the intervention and control group (listed on the so-called waiting list) filled in the questionnaire at the beginning (T0), immediately after the closure of the intervention programme, or after seven weeks in the case of a control group (T1) and after 3 months from the closure of the intervention programme or the preliminary measurement (T2). In the following, the authors also analyzed the results collected with these three measurements. After the completion of the third measurement, the participants in the control group were offered the possibility to be included in the intervention programme. The data file, as well as any accompanying material, shall be made available only upon request.