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CBT programs by the teachers can be seamlessly integrated into existing school systems with minimal extra resources, making it a practical and scalable solution for enhancing mental health in educational settings.
Children or adolescents with anxiety disorders can greatly benefit from a universal cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program in schools, as per a study published in “Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health”. This cluster randomized controlled trial by Sinha De Silva et al. sought to estimate the influence of a school-wide CBT intervention on anxiety levels in Grade 9 students across diverse schools. These schools were divided into intervention and control groups comprising 360 students each.
The intervention group received CBT sessions weekly from a trained teacher for 8 weeks, plus a month of self-practice. The control group continued with the standard care. Anxiety, self-esteem, and depression were measured before the intervention, immediately after, and three months later using validated tools [Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) tool, Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21)].
Nonresponse and follow-up rates were impressively low, at less than 1%. Results revealed that while the CBT program led to a noteworthy reduction in anxiety levels and an increase in self-esteem soon after the intervention, these effects were less noticeable at 3 months. No substantial differences were found concerning depression levels between the two groups at either assessment point.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health
Effectiveness of a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based intervention for reducing anxiety among adolescents in the Colombo District, Sri Lanka: cluster randomized controlled trial
Sinha De Silva et al.
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