Health promotion in schools - results from a controlled intervention studyin two senior high schools

The effects of health-promotion lessons carried out in two senior high scho ols in the canton of Zurich were investigated in a controlled intervention study The lessons were developed by leachers and students and integrated in to regular school lessons. Of particular interest were effects on school cl imate, school stress experienced by students and their physical and psychol ogical well-being Students in the intervention and control schools were ass essed with a comprehensive questionnaire three times over a period of 18 mo nths. Health-promotion lessons took place in the intervention school betwee n t1 and t2 (12 month interval). Results showed that participation in a str uctured research project with repeated assessments led to a critical evalua tion of school climate and school stress. At the same time that students we re more critically judging the school environment, their physical and psych ological problems lessened. Results were the same in both schools, that is, there was no specific intervention effect. Presumably participation in a p rospective study with repeated assessments acted as a sensitisation and mob ilisation of resources in adolescents. The study showed the possibilities f or health promotion, however it also indicated conflicts between the duty o f teaching and psychosomatic prevention strategies.