Results: Changes in Mental Health Outcomes Over Time

Across the first two years of Project SPARK, several mental health indicators worsened from baseline to the one-year follow-up and then remained elevated at the two-year follow-up:

Anxiety: Recent symptoms of anxiety increased significantly from 54% at baseline to 64% one year later, and remained high at the two-year follow-up (63%). The overall change across the study period was statistically significant, while the change from the one-year to two-year follow-up was not statistically significant.

Depression: Recent symptoms of depression increased from 43% at baseline to 49% at the one-year follow-up, and remained elevated at the two-year follow-up (51%). The overall change across the study period was statistically significant, while the change from the one-year to two-year follow-up was not statistically significant.

Suicidal ideation: Suicidal ideation remained consistently high across the two-year period but did not significantly change over time. At baseline, 38% of participants reported suicidal ideation, compared to 41% at the one-year follow-up and 40% at the two-year follow-up.

Self-harm: Rates of self-harm showed a different pattern. At baseline, 39% of participants reported self-harm in the past year. This decreased significantly to 33% one year later and remained at a similar level two years later (34%), with no statistically significant change between the one-year and two-year follow-ups.

Suicide attempts: Suicide attempts changed significantly across the study period, decreasing from baseline to follow-up. At baseline, 9% of participants reported a suicide attempt in the past year, compared to 6% at the one-year follow-up and 7% at the two-year follow-up. The change from the one-year to two-year follow-up was not statistically significant.