Table 3 Process evaluation components and relevant data
Evaluation component | Relevant data |
|---|---|
Mechanisms of change | Teacher questionnaires Stress at school Satisfaction at school Help provided to colleagues and students Help received from colleagues School’s attitude to staff and student wellbeing Quality of relationships in school Student questionnaires Help received from teachers School’s attitude to student wellbeing Quality of relationships with teachers Interview with head teacher Relevant new policies or practices introduced Focus group with peer supporters Nature of support provided Focus groups with peer supporters and MHFA trainees Learning from the MHFA training Application of learning Whether and how learning shared with colleagues All focus groups (intervention) Any perceived changes in school ethos or activities Interview with peer support service users Whether the service helped and how |
Reach | Teacher questionnaires Use of the peer support service MHFA training completed Termly peer supporter meetings Record of how much help provided Focus group with peer supporters How service has been promoted Focus group with students (intervention) Perceptions of support from teachers and any changes |
Contamination | Focus group with teachers (control) Any mental health training Any perceived changes in school ethos or activities Focus group with students (control) Perceptions of support from teachers and any changes Audit of school activities Any new activities in control schools similar to intervention |
Intervention fidelity | Focus groups with peer supporters and MHFA trainees How much ALGEE model is used when supporting others Other MHFA techniques used when supporting others Training observations How well trainer sticks to core MHFA components Interviews with trainers Perceptions of MHFA core elements |
Unintended harm | Termly peer supporter meetings Record of any harm experienced/observed by peer supporters Focus group with MHFA trainees Any negative experiences of attending the training |
Acceptability | Interviews with head teachers (intervention) Views on peer support service and MHFA training Focus groups and interviews with non-peer supporter teachers (intervention) Views/experiences of the peer support service Training observations Reactions of trainees to the training Interview with trainers What went well or not well in the training |
Sustainability | Interviews with head teachers (intervention) What is needed to make the peer support service sustainable Ways to embed the MHFA learning Focus groups with peer supporters What is needed to make the peer support service sustainable Audit of school activities (intervention) Any wider changes e.g., policies, processes Interviews with funders How well the intervention fits with local priorities What is needed for the intervention to be rolled out |