Resource: Know Before You Go
Other Versions & Supplemental Materials:
Developer: mentalhealthliteracy.org
Know Before You Go (KBYG)
Know Before You Go (KBYG) is a life skills and wellbeing resource directed toward grade 12 students transitioning from high school to post-secondary education. This resource is intended to be teacher-led and delivered in-classroom, and is supported by a detailed ‘teacher’s guide’ resource including activity handouts and ready-made slides for Lesson 1. Researchers have only tested KBYG as a classroom resource - but an online and interactive version may provide opportunities for youth to engage on a deeper, more personalized level. KBYG is available at no-cost in English and French, and includes an adapted version for Catholic Schools.
Know Before You Go was developed, and is maintained by a collaborative team of mental health experts, clinicians, and scientists from Alberta Health Services, and the departments of Psychiatry at Dalhousie University and the University of Alberta.
“This life skills resource helps students anticipate, identify and navigate situations they will encounter when entering the realm of postsecondary education. It contains information on many topics including paying bills, study skills, roommate issues, identity questions and embedded throughout is how to maintain good mental health and seek help as needed.” - mentalhealthliteracy.org
Key Findings
Know Before You Go (KBYG) receives a ranking of ‘4’ - Inconclusive Evidence of Effectiveness.
This resource demonstrates significant effectiveness in certain Mental Health Literacies among Grade 12 youth. However, the program was critically evaluated in a very small number of studies that produced mixed results and were not sufficiently rigorous in their design.
KBYG has been shown to have significant positive effects on the following key-pillars of Mental Health Literacy:
- Knowledge
- Help Seeking
- Stigma
- Obtaining & Maintaining Positive Mental Health
- Recognition of Mental Disorders
Recognition of Mental Disorders, Stigma, and Help Seeking were not measured among the studies evaluating KBYG. Thus we have no insight into this program’s efficacy with regard to these key pillars.
Studies evaluating KBYG did not produce the following crucial evidence to substantiate effectiveness:
- Sustained positive impacts (lasting up-to, or beyond one year)
- Rigorous randomized-controlled or quasi-experimental research designs
- Large enough student-samples for desired power during statistical analysis
- Comparison groups
- Consistent effects across interventions
In one study, female students experienced significantly less stress-reduction than male students following the intervention. This finding cannot be validated without further research and replication of this outcome.
(Ratings of 4-6 are not scored for dissemination readiness)
For more information on our scoring system, criteria, and outcomes for KBYG, please see the Evaluation Process & Scoring page
English 
French