Interventions to reduce stigma towards mental disorders in young people: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION: The stigma towards mental disorders can limit the use and effectiveness of available mental health interventions for young people. We aim to systematically review effectiveness of interventions to reduce stigma towards mental disorders in young people, as evidence has not been recently and systematically synthesised on this topic. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised or controlled clinical trials of interventions to reduce stigma towards mental disorders in people aged 10–24 years. Studies involving a comparison group, post intervention and/or follow-up assessments of knowledge, attitudes and/or behaviours towards mental disorders (including help-seeking behaviours), will be included. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, PubMed and PsycINFO databases will be searched, without time limits, for eligible studies in English or Spanish, and with results available. Databases will be searched from July 2020 to April 2021. The study selection process, the data extraction and the critical evaluation—with the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool—of included studies will be performed independently and in duplicate by teams of reviewers, with the assistance of a third party, until reaching a high degree of agreement. In the presence of substantial heterogeneity (I(2) >75%), a narrative synthesis of the study results will be used. If feasible, we will also conduct a quality effects model for the statistical synthesis of results. If sufficient data are available, subgroup analyses will be performed to assess potential sources of heterogeneity. Doi plots and the Luis Furuya-Kanamori index will be used to assess publication bias. The Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach will be used to assess the confidence in the evidence reviewed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Results are expected to be published in a peer-reviewed journal in the field of adolescent and/or youth mental health. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020210901.