2.2. Intervention
activity/ies
SESSION
The ME-WE primary prevention intervention was developed by refining the existing DNA-V protocol [Participants of clusters allocated to the ME-WE intervention arm attended seven weekly 2 h group sessions, with a follow-up meeting after 3 months from the end of the intervention. Groups were comprised of 2 to 9 AYCs (with the exception of Switzerland and Slovenia where individual interventions were held with one participant; in addition, in Slovenia there was one group with 23 participants). Group dynamics represent an important part of the intervention. To facilitate a proxy of group dynamics, the facilitators were instructed to also step into the participant role in cases where groups were small.All sessions had a similar structure (objectives, ice-breaker, central activity/ies and final activity). After a first introductory session regarding the DNA-V model, sessions 2, 3 and 4 introduced the main concepts used. Session 5 dealt with values and values-oriented action and session 6 focused on attaining psychological flexibility and self-compassion (i.e., the ability to approach personal suffering and failures with openness and awareness, showing self-kindness [Two different methods were originally followed in the delivery of the ME-WE intervention (that is, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic): a fully face-to-face approach (adopted by Italy, Slovenia and UK), and a blended approach that combined face-to-face and online sessions delivered via video-conferencing tools and a dedicated ME-WE mobile app (adopted by Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands) which was co-designed with AYCs at earlier stages of the ME-WE European project.It was originally planned that AYCs in the control group would perform ice-breaker and team-building activities during three meetings organised to correspond with the three assessment points with the aim of collecting outcome measures data.The interventions were carried out in the six countries during the period June 2019–March 2021.