"VoluntariaMente" - The Impact of the Individual Social Role on the Improvement of Mental Health

Patrícia Tuna, Ana Gonçalves, Sofia Almeida, Francisco Santos Coelho, Catarina R. Carvalho, Tiago Pinto Neto, Ana Sara Ferreira

Keywords: mental health disorders; volunteer work; primary health care; anxiety disorder; depression disorder; volunteering

Background:

Mental health problems are very common and represent a significant proportion of health-seeking contacts in primary health care. Given the prevalence and impact of mental health disorders, it’s important to improve methods that promote social integration and well-being of these patients. Studies have shown that volunteer work promotes not only mental health, but also social inclusion, and is related with lower anxiety and depression symptoms. Taking into account the PERMA model (Seligman, M.) who proposes five pillars on which psychological well-being and happiness are based – Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishments –, a methodology was created that aims to foster experiences that stimulate the psychological well-being and happiness of participants.

Research questions:

This study aims to evaluate the effects of qualified and accompanied volunteer work on anxiety and depression scores, in people who suffer from Anxiety and/or Depression disorder.

Method:

We are conducting a randomized clinical trial. Our sample was obtained from the portuguese platforms MIM@UF® and SClínico®. It includes patients from USF Valongo (Family Healthcare Unit of Valongo), 18-64 yo, classified with the ICPC-2 “P74 - Anxiety disorder/ anxiety state” and/or “P76 - Depressive Disorder” codes, and medicated with anxiolytics and/or antidepressants. From this population, two groups of 30 participants were randomized, one being the target of the intervention and the other the control group. The intervention, carried out by “Pista Mágica – Associação”, a Portuguese Non-Governmental Organization for Development, consists of 4 phases and will last 1 year: volunteers’ training on self-development, empathy, volunteering and psychoeducation; group volunteering activities accompanied by a volunteering professional; definition of individual happiness projects; and individual volunteering activities aligned with each volunteer’s needs, dreams and objectives. Confidentiality of the data was ensured during all the research.

Results:

Conclusions:

Points for discussion:

The impact of the individual social role on the improvement of mental health.

Volunteering as a complementary therapy for mental illness.

Primary health care and its articulation with the social sector as promoters of more health gains.

#77