A Cluster Randomized-Controlled Trial of the MindOut Social and Emotional Learning Program for Disadvantaged Post-Primary School Students

Social and Emotional Learning Interventions for Preadolescents and Adolescents: Assessing the Evidence Base

OBJECTIVE

The social and emotional learning (SEL) framework is widely recognized as being effective for developing social and emotional competencies among students of all ages. However, the evidence for specific intervention models with older student populations is less established. The objective of this systematic review was to rate the evidence supporting the effectiveness of SEL interventions aimed at improving mental health outcomes among preadolescents and adolescents.

METHODS

A search of major databases, gray literature, and evidence base registries was conducted to identify studies published from 2008 to 2022 that assessed the effects of SEL interventions on mental health outcomes among students ages 10-19 years. The authors rated the evidence for SEL interventions as high, moderate, or low based on established rating criteria.

RESULTS

In total, 25 articles reporting on 17 original research studies were reviewed. Sixteen intervention models were assessed, with 11 resulting in improved mental health symptoms; however, no intervention was evaluated in a large enough number of studies to surpass a low evidence rating. Some studies reported cost benefits and high effectiveness of an intervention with students from diverse racial-ethnic or low socioeconomic backgrounds.

CONCLUSIONS

SEL interventions can improve mental health outcomes among preadolescents and adolescents. Additional research is needed to strengthen the evidence base for specific intervention models.

Universal, school-based transdiagnostic interventions to promote mental health and emotional wellbeing: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of universal school-based transdiagnostic interventions in promoting the mental health of children and adolescents. It compares and discusses interventions targeting the prevention of mental disorders versus the promotion of mental health. Additionally, the roles of teachers and psychologists as intervention conductors are examined.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of the Psycinfo, Pubmed, and Web of Science databases was conducted without any time restrictions to identify relevant literature on universal school-based transdiagnostic interventions promoting children and adolescents' mental health.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The findings reveal that universal school-based transdiagnostic promotion/prevention programs have a small to medium overall effect size. These interventions demonstrate a broad coverage of different aspects of children and adolescents' mental health. However, the relative effectiveness of teacher-led versus psychologist-led interventions remains unclear. Interventions focused on preventing mental disorders exhibit a higher effect size, albeit on a narrower range of mental health aspects for children and adolescents.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study enhances our understanding of universal school-based transdiagnostic interventions and their impact on children and adolescents' mental health. Further research is needed to elucidate the comparative efficacy of teacher-led and psychologist-led interventions and to explore the specific dimensions of mental health targeted by these interventions.

A feasibility (pilot) mixed methods study of an innovative non-pharmacological breath-based yoga and social-emotional intervention program in an at-risk youth sample in London, Canada

BACKGROUND

Various service provision models for youth at risk of homelessness have been researched and implemented, including access to housing and physical and mental health resources. However, even with these interventions, we remain unaware of how best to manage symptoms of depression and anxiety and the rate of drug use in these populations primarily because of a lack of feasibility data.

METHODS

This paper presents the results of a mixed-methods study in London, Canada, that examined the feasibility of implementing a biopsychosocial intervention, SKY Schools, in at-risk youth aged between 16 and 25 (n = 49). The study also recorded qualitative responses about the program's usefulness from the perspective of the service users. The SKY Schools intervention consisted of social-emotional learning combined with Sudarshan Kriya Yoga, a standardized yoga-based breathing exercise routine. The intervention program was divided into two phases: an active learning phase and a reinforcement phase. The following feasibility outcome measures were collected: (1) the number of potential participants approached per month, (2) number (proportion) who were successfully screened, (3) the proportion of screened participants who enrolled, (4) the rate of retention in the study, (5) rate of adherence to study protocol, (6) proportion of planned ratings that were completed, (7) intervention cost per case, (8) completeness of final data for analysis, (9) length of time to collect all data, (10) quality of all collected data, (11) determining if partnering community organizations were willing to conduct the study as per study protocol, (12) determining if there were any capacity issues with partners providing intervention and investigators being able to perform the tasks that they were committed to doing, (13) determining if there were any problems of entering the data into a computer, (14) preliminary data about the safety of the intervention, and (15) preliminary estimate of treatment effects.

RESULTS

All feasibility outcome measures were collectible. In the city of London, Canada it was feasible to conduct a pilot study in this population of youth at risk of homelessness. Foremost among the findings was a high retention rate (61.2%) and overall positive qualitative feedback with a number of potential suggestions to improve the delivery and quality of the intervention. However, we had a significantly low recruitment rate (0.27 participants per week) suggesting that multiple sites will be needed to achieve an adequate sample size for a subsequent definitive trial.

CONCLUSIONS

Future researchers may consider the findings of this feasibility study when designing a randomized control trial to further assess the efficacy and tolerability of SKY Schools.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT02749240. Registered April 22, 2016, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02749240 .

A study on the applicability of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire among low- and higher-educated adolescents

Aim

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire self-report (SDQ-SR) is a valid instrument for detection of emotional and behavioral problems. The aim of this study was to compare the psychometric properties of the SDQ-SR for low and higher educated adolescents, and to explore its suitability.

Methods

We included 426 adolescents. We compared internal consistency for low-educated, i.e., at maximum pre-vocational secondary education, and higher educated adolescents and assessed whether the five-factor structure of the SDQ holds across educational levels. We also interviewed 24 low-educated adolescents, and 17 professionals.

Results

On most SDQ subscales the low-educated adolescents had more problematic mean scores than the higher educated adolescents. Findings on the invariance factor analyses were inconsistent, with some measures showing a bad fit of the five factor model, and this occurring relatively more for the low-educated adolescents. Professionals and adolescents reported that the SDQ included difficult wordings.

Discussion

Our findings imply that the scale structure of the SDQ-SR is slightly poorer for low educated adolescents. Given this caveat, psychometric properties of the SDQ-SR are generally sufficient for use, regardless of educational level.

A social emotional learning intervention to reduce psychosocial difficulties among rural children in central China

Programmes based on social emotional learning (SEL) have been effective in reducing psychosocial difficulties in a number of countries. In Mainland China, there has been no empirical research on the prevention of children's psychosocial difficulties using the SEL approach. This study aimed to assess whether an adapted version of the SEL programme can reduce psychosocial difficulties of primary school children in rural China. The intervention consisted of 16 weekly 90-min class sessions, conducted among 206 children aged 8-12 years (with 290 controls) in a poor rural area of Central China. Self-report questionnaires were administered at baseline, post-intervention and 5-month follow-up. The results suggested that the programme (1) can reduce children's total difficulties (measured using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire) at post-intervention (d = -0.18) and 5-month follow-up (d = -0.19), (2) was more effective among children experiencing verbal abuse (d = -0.21) or physical abuse (d = -0.24) from caregivers and (3) was popular among more than 90% of the participants. The programme is cheap, easy to implement and can be delivered in school hours. Therefore, it has clear potential for replicability and sustainability.

Using Virtual Reality Interventions to Promote Social and Emotional Learning for Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This study provides a comprehensive review of the application of virtual reality (VR) in social and emotional learning (SEL) for children and adolescents over the past decade (January 2013-May 2023), with a specific interest in the relations between their technological and instructional design features. A search in Web of Science resulted in 32 relevant articles that were then manually screened. Coding analysis was conducted from four perspectives: participant characteristics, research design, technological features, and instructional design. The analysis provides insights into the VR literature regarding publication trends, target populations, technological features, instructional scenarios, and tasks. To test the effectiveness of VR interventions for promoting SEL, a meta-analysis was also conducted, which revealed an overall medium effect size and significant moderating effects of SEL disorder type and instructional task. Finally, based on the research results, the practical implications of and future research directions for applying VR in SEL were discussed.

The feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of an app-based intervention (the Coping Camp) in reducing stress among Chinese school adolescents: A cluster randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine the efficacies of the Coping Camp app in reducing stress, depression, and anxiety and improving stress-coping behaviours and mental health wellbeing. Additionally, feasibility and acceptability of Coping Camp were evaluated.

METHODS

In this unblinded cluster RCT, 540 participants from two high schools in China were randomly assigned to the Coping Camp intervention (n = 6 classes; 275 students) or treatment as usual (n = 5 classes; 265 students) at the class level. Coping Camp was an automated self-help app, consisting of 11 sessions delivered over 11 weeks, with primary outcomes including perceived stress, depression, anxiety, stress-coping behaviours, and mental health well-being. All outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-intervention (11 weeks), and follow-up (19 weeks), with efficacy analysed using linear mixed models and feasibility/acceptability measured by a 5-point Likert scale and qualitative feedback.

RESULTS

At post-intervention and follow-up assessments, 75.4% and 81.7% of participants respectively attended. On average, participants logged in for 8.56 out of 11 sessions. Compared to the control group, the intervention group had significant reductions in levels of perceived stress (p = 0.01, d = 0.15 at T1; p < 0.001, d = 0.18 at T2), anxiety (p = 0.11; d = 0.08 at T1; p = 0.01; d = 0.13 at T2) and depression (p = 0.04, d = 0.11 at T1; p = 0.05, d = 0.10 at T2) but did not have a greater increase in stress-coping behaviours (p = 0.10 at T1; p = 0.97 at T2) or mental health wellbeing (p = 0.93 at T1; p = 0.08 at T2). The average ratings for each session were above 4, and qualitative feedback showed that most participants found the intervention to be "great," "good," and "useful."

CONCLUSIONS

The Coping Camp is feasible, acceptable and effective in stress management among Chinese school adolescents.

Assessing the effectiveness and implementation of a universal classroom-based set of educator practices to improve preschool children's social-emotional outcomes: Protocol for a cluster randomized controlled type 2 hybrid trial in Singapore

BACKGROUND

Providing high-quality early childhood care and education is understood as key to maximizing children's potential to succeed later in life, as it stimulates young children's development of skills and competencies needed to promote optimal outcomes and success later in life. Despite the government's efforts to support the early childhood sector, educators in Singapore continue to report difficulties in implementing practices in classrooms that promote children's social, emotional, and cognitive development. To enhance educators' skills in these domains, we developed the Enhancing And Supporting Early development to better children's Lives (EASEL) Approach, a set of universal, educator-delivered practices for use with 3-6-year-old children in early childhood settings to improve social, emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning (SEB+EF) outcomes.

METHODS

This study will evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of the EASEL Approach in improving early childhood educators' teaching practices and, in turn, children's SEB+EF outcomes. We will conduct a cluster randomized controlled trial with a type 2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation study in 16 childcare centers. The EPIS (Explore, Prepare, Implement, Sustain) Framework will be used to inform the implementation of the EASEL Approach. Implementation strategies include training, educator self-assessments, practice-based coaching, and data monitoring. Our primary outcome is educators' teaching practices. Secondary outcomes include educators' adoption of the EASEL Approach in everyday practice, the acceptability and feasibility of the EASEL Approach, and children's SEB+EF outcomes. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected at baseline, six months, and after implementation.

CONCLUSION

Findings from this study will provide significant evidence on the effectiveness of the EASEL Approach in improving educators' teaching practices and its impact on children's SEB+EF outcomes and the implementation of the EASEL Approach in early childhood classrooms in Singapore.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was prospectively registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT05445947 on 6th July 2022.

Child and adolescent mental well-being intervention programme: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials

Background

There has been an increasing awareness and recognition of mental well-being as one of the main outcome measures in national mental health policy and service provision in recent years. Many systemic reviews on intervention programmes for mental health or general well-being in young people have been conducted; however, these reviews were not mental well-being specific.

Objective

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of child and adolescent mental well-being intervention programmes and to identify the approach of effective intervention by reviewing the available Randomised Controlled Trials.

Methods

This systematic review study followed the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews ensuring a methodical and structured approach for the literature search and the subsequent review processes. The systematic literature search utilised major medical and health databases. Covidence, an online application for conducting systematic reviews, was used to assemble the titles, abstracts and full articles retrieved from the initial literature search. To examine the quality of the included trials for determining the strength of the evidence provided, the JBI Critical Appraisal Tool for Randomised Controlled Trial was used.

Results

There were 34 studies identified after an extensive search of the literature following the PRISMA guidelines. Seven (7) fulfilled all selection criteria and provided information on the effect of an intervention programme on mental well-being in adolescence. Data were extracted and analysed systematically with key information summarised. The results suggested that two (2) programmes demonstrated significant intervention effects, but with a small effect size. The quality of these trials was also assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tool for Randomised Controlled Trials and identified some methodological issues.

Conclusion

In conclusion, activity-based and psychoeducation are shown to be potentially effective approaches for future programme development. More research on a well-designed programme is urgently needed, particularly in developing countries, to provide good evidence in supporting the mental health policy through the enhancement of mental well-being in young people.

Longitudinal associations between different types of screen use and depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents

Background

Evidence examining the longitudinal associations between different types of screen behaviours and mental health among adolescents is limited. The present study examined the association between five types of screen behaviours and symptoms of anxiety and depression one year later. This study also assessed how changes in screen time were associated with changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms and whether the observed relationships were moderated by sex.

Methods

Longitudinal data of 17,174 students in grades 9-12 (53.5% females; mean age: 15.1 ± 0.9 years) attending high schools in Canada from two waves (year 6: 2017/18, year 7: 2018/19) of the COMPASS study were analyzed. Leisure screen time and mental health measures were self-reported. To test if the associations between screen time and anxiety, and depression vary by sex, two-way interactions were examined for sex. Analyses accounted for school clustering, race/ethnicity, sex, age, income, body mass index z-score, and previous year anxiety and depression symptoms.

Results

There were significant longitudinal associations between time spent on each type of screen and subsequent anxiety and depression symptoms. The strength of the associations varied by type of screen behaviour. Interaction analysis indicated a sex difference for television viewing and anxiety and depression symptoms, and internet surfing and anxiety symptoms. A dose-response relationship was observed between phone talking and anxiety symptoms. Beta estimates indicated that an increase in screen duration was associated with a further increase in anxiety and depression symptoms.

Conclusion

Higher screen time was longitudinally associated with higher anxiety and depression symptoms at one-year follow-up in adolescents. Time-change associations between screen usage and depressive and anxiety symptoms were observed. Also, associations differed based on sex and screen type, whereby greater increases in screen use predicted greater emotional distress. Findings from this prospective analysis suggest that screen time is an important determinant of anxiety and depressive symptoms among adolescents. Future studies are recommended to help inform programs promoting screen time reduction with a goal to enhance adolescents' mental health.

Experimental evaluation of a neurophysiological intervention designed to increase student resilience: a pilot study

Social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions have shown promise for building resilience and protecting youth from adverse outcomes. This study reports on an experimental pilot evaluation of the Smart Brain Wise Heart SEL intervention during the 2021-2022 school year. Smart Brain Wise Heart (SBWH) uses a neurophysiological approach among ninth-grade students to evaluate the intervention's impact on youth resiliency, self-compassion, peer violence exposure, internalising disorders, and hyperactivity. Results did not indicate any significant universal changes in target outcomes. These null findings regarding universal impact may be explained by the unprecedented difficulty of implementing a school-based intervention amid ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and administrative issues. Despite these obstacles, students with lower academic achievement in the intervention condition scored significantly higher for resilience and self-compassion and lower on depressive symptoms than their peers in the comparison condition, even when controlling for baseline scores, sex, attachment (father, mother, peer), and exposure to adverse childhood experiences. Our findings suggest SBWH programming may have important implications for the trajectories of students exhibiting lower academic achievement, at a minimum, by significantly improving their emotional resilience, self-compassion, and depressive symptoms during a vital developmental stage. More research is urgently needed under optimal conditions to assess the universal implementation of the program.

School educational models and child mental health among K-12 students: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

The promotion of mental health among children and adolescents is a public health imperative worldwide, and schools have been proposed as the primary and targeted settings for mental health promotion for students in grades K-12. This review sought to provide a comprehensive understanding of key factors involved in models of school education contributing to student mental health development, interrelationships among these factors and the cross-cultural differences across nations and societies.

METHODS

This scoping review followed the framework of Arksey and O'Malley and holistically reviewed the current evidence on the potential impacts of school-related factors or school-based interventions on student mental health in recent 5 years based on the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and PsycExtra databases.

RESULTS/FINDINGS

After screening 558 full-texts, this review contained a total of 197 original articles on school education and student mental health. Based on the five key factors (including curriculum, homework and tests, physical activities, interpersonal relationships and after-school activities) identified in student mental development according to thematic analyses, a multi-component school educational model integrating academic, social and physical factors was proposed so as to conceptualize the five school-based dimensions for K-12 students to promote student mental health development.

CONCLUSIONS

The lessons learned from previous studies indicate that developing multi-component school strategies to promote student mental health remains a major challenge. This review may help establish appropriate school educational models and call for a greater emphasis on advancement of student mental health in the K-12 school context among different nations or societies.

Self-management interventions for reducing challenging behaviors among school-age students: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Challenging classroom behaviors can interfere with student social and academic functioning and may be harmful to everyone in schools. Self-management interventions within schools can address these concerns by helping students develop necessary social, emotional, and behavioral skills. Thus, the current systematic review synthesized and analyzed school-based self-management interventions used to address challenging classroom behaviors.

OBJECTIVES

The current study aimed to inform practice and policy by (a) evaluating the effectiveness of self-management interventions at improving classroom behaviors and academic outcomes and (b) examining the state of research for self-management interventions based on existing literature.

SEARCH METHODS

Comprehensive search procedures included electronically searching online databases (e.g., EBSCO Academic Search Premier, MEDLINE, ERIC, PsycINFO), hand-searching 19 relevant journals (e.g., School Mental Health, Journal of School Psychology), reference-list searching 21 relevant reviews, and searching gray literature (e.g., contacting authors, searching online dissertation/theses databases and national government clearinghouses/websites). Searches were completed through December of 2020.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Included studies employed either a multiple group-design (i.e., experimental or quasi-experimental) or single-case experimental research design and met the following criteria: (a) utilized a self-management intervention, (b) conducted in a school setting, (c) included school-aged students, and (d) assessed classroom behaviors.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Standard data collection procedures expected by the Campbell Collaboration were used in the current study. Analyses for single-case design studies incorporated three-level hierarchical models to synthesize main effects, and meta-regression for moderation. Further, robust variance estimation was applied to both single-case design and group-design studies to account for dependency issues.

MAIN RESULTS

Our final single-case design sample included 75 studies, 236 participants, and 456 effects (i.e., 351 behavioral outcomes and 105 academic outcomes). Our final group-design sample included 4 studies, 422 participants, and 11 total behavioral effects. Most studies occurred in the United States, in urban communities, in public schools, and in elementary settings. Single-case design results indicated that self-management interventions significantly and positively impacted both student classroom behaviors (LRRi = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.59, 0.78]) and academic outcomes (LRRi = 0.58, 95% CI [0.41, 0.76]). Single-case results were found to be moderated by student race and special education status, whereas intervention effects were more pronounced for African American students (F = 5.56, p = 0.02) and students receiving special education services (F = 6.87, p = 0.01). Single-case results were not found to be moderated by intervention characteristics (i.e., intervention duration, fidelity assessment, fidelity method, or training). Despite positive findings for single-case design studies, risk of bias assessment indicated methodological shortcomings that should be considered when interpreting findings. A significant main effect of self-management interventions for improving classroom behaviors was also revealed for group-design studies (g = 0.63, 95% CI [0.08, 1.17]). However, these results should be interpreted with caution given the small number of included group-design studies.

IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY PRACTICE AND RESEARCH

The current study, conducted using comprehensive search/screening procedures and advanced meta-analytic techniques, adds to the large amount of evidence indicating that self-management interventions can be successfully used to address student behaviors and academic outcomes. In particular, the use specific self-management elements (i.e., self-determining a performance goal, self-observing and recording progress, reflecting on a target behavior, and administering primary reinforcers) should be considered within current interventions as well as in the development of future interventions. Future research should aim to assess the implementation and effects of self-management at the group or classroom-level within randomized controlled trials.

Evaluation of the SPARK Child Mentoring Program: A Social and Emotional Learning Curriculum for Elementary School Students

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs seek to enhance social and emotional competencies in children, including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. By means of direct instruction regarding social and emotional competencies, SEL programs have the potential to strengthen resilience in children and thus their capacity to effectively cope with life's challenges. Strengthening resilience in children who are repeatedly exposed to adverse experiences, particularly those from economically disadvantaged minority backgrounds, is of particular importance and has implications for the prevention of a multitude of problems later in life. Our study reports the result of an investigation of the SPARK Child Mentoring program, a resilience-focused SEL program designed to reduce risk factors, uncover innate resilience, promote natural emotional well-being, and facilitate school success. We employed a randomized controlled trial comprising 94 elementary school students that included pre- and post-intervention measurements. After controlling for pre-intervention levels, we found a significant difference between students' understanding of underlying program principles; communication, decision making, and problem-solving skills; emotional regulation; and resilience for students who received the intervention compared to students who did not receive the intervention. These results provide initial evidence for the efficacy of the SPARK Child Mentoring program with a diverse sample of elementary school students and adds to the existing literature base concerning positive outcomes associated with SEL programs. We discuss implications for future research focused on long-term preventive effects of the program and the characteristics of students most likely to benefit from it.

Implementation of a Brief Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Skills Group in High Schools for At-Risk Youth: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Study (Preprint)

Background

Adolescence is a developmental period marked by engagement in risk-taking behaviors, especially among impulsive or emotionally dysregulated youth. Thus, interventions that teach skills to reduce the risk of negative outcomes associated with emotional dysregulation are required. Social and emotional learning (SEL) programs have been developed to address both adolescent emotional dysregulation and risk-taking behaviors; however, current programs have mostly been implemented among younger youth and are used as a tier 1 universal intervention rather than a targeted tier 2 intervention for youth identified with emotional regulation difficulties.

Objective

This study aimed to address the need for SEL programming that can be delivered in schools, particularly for older youth who have difficulties with emotional or behavioral dysregulation, to reduce the risk of health-risk behaviors among this population.

Methods

Here, we outline the implementation of an SEL intervention titled Going 4 Goals, a 9-session adaptation of the Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) program delivered to at-risk high school students in a school setting. The primary objectives of the study are to test whether participating in the skills group intervention produces significant increases in the core DBT-A skills of mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, while also producing significant decreases in substance use and risky behaviors. These primary outcomes are based on changes in participant scores between baseline and after the intervention and follow-ups at 1, 3, and 6 months compared with a control group of youth participating in the school’s health curriculum at the same time points. Qualitative interviews will also be conducted with intervention participants and school staff to examine acceptability and facilitators of and barriers to the intervention.

Results

A total of 171 participants across 13 groups had been enrolled in the intervention, with data collection ending December 2021. Data analysis will begin in the spring of 2022, with expected results to be published in the spring of 2023.

Conclusions

This paper describes the protocol of the 9-session school-based adaptation of the DBT-A intervention and discusses the strengths and limitations of the study and future directions.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/32490

Facilitating improvements in young people's social relationships to prevent or treat depression: A review of empirically supported interventions

Interpersonal difficulties are often implicated in the onset of depressive disorders, and typically exacerbate depressive symptoms. This is particularly true for young people, given rapid changes in, and the increased importance of, their social relationships. The purpose of this narrative review was to identify empirically supported interventions that aim to prevent or treat depression in young people by facilitating improvements in their social environment. We conducted a search of controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses of such interventions, published between 1980 and June 2020. Our literature search and interpretation of results was informed by consultations with clinical experts and youth consumers and advocates. A number of promising approaches were identified with respect to prevention and treatment. Preliminary evidence was identified suggesting that school- and Internet-based approaches present a viable means to prevent the worsening of depressive symptoms in young people. Notably, delivering interpersonal psychotherapy-adolescent skills training (IPT-AST) in schools appears to be a promising early intervention strategy for young people at risk of full-threshold depressive disorder. In terms of treating depressive disorders in young people, there is strong evidence for the efficacy of interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A), and preliminary evidence in favour of attachment-based family therapy (ABFT). Results are discussed with respect to recommendations for future research and practice.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological interventions to improve mental wellbeing

Our current understanding of the efficacy of psychological interventions in improving mental states of wellbeing is incomplete. This study aimed to overcome limitations of previous reviews by examining the efficacy of distinct types of psychological interventions, irrespective of their theoretical underpinning, and the impact of various moderators, in a unified systematic review and meta-analysis. Four-hundred-and-nineteen randomized controlled trials from clinical and non-clinical populations (n = 53,288) were identified for inclusion. Mindfulness-based and multi-component positive psychological interventions demonstrated the greatest efficacy in both clinical and non-clinical populations. Meta-analyses also found that singular positive psychological interventions, cognitive and behavioural therapy-based, acceptance and commitment therapy-based, and reminiscence interventions were impactful. Effect sizes were moderate at best, but differed according to target population and moderator, most notably intervention intensity. The evidence quality was generally low to moderate. While the evidence requires further advancement, the review provides insight into how psychological interventions can be designed to improve mental wellbeing.

Updating the Debate on Behavioral Competency Development: State of the Art and Future Challenges

Emotional, social, and cognitive intelligence competencies have been recognized as the most critical capabilities for organizations to acquire at all levels. For this reason, a wide body of research since the 1980s has demonstrated their positive impact on individual performance, career success, and wellbeing across sectors and professional roles, and a large number of theoretical contributions on how these competencies can be effectively developed has emerged over time. We focus attention on the developmental and learning processes of emotional, social, and cognitive intelligence competencies that occur after formal training or educational courses provided by universities or certified organizations and directed to students or practitioners. Specifically, we conduct an exploratory literature review on the existing academic studies in order to identify the scholars and the pieces of research contributing most to the debate under investigation. This article aims at analyzing this body of research through a systematic review of the literature in order to: (i) provide a comprehensive critical analysis of the distinctive features of the theoretical and methodological frameworks adopted to develop these competencies; (ii) review the contexts in which the training initiatives analyzed by the literature have been delivered and the categories of learner involved; (iii) discuss the learning outcomes of these educational programs and how they have been assessed; (iv) identify gaps and inconsistencies in the current state of the literature, suggesting promising paths for future research; and (v) stimulate insights for educators, human resource managers, executives, and policymakers by organizing and critically analyzing the extant contributions on competency development. This review represents the first attempt to systematize the methodologies of the educational programs for competency development and to assess their effectiveness in order to assist educators and executives in their ongoing efforts to equip students and employees with the relevant skills needed to achieve superior performance in the workplace. At the institutional level, policymakers should promote a dedicated agenda with concrete actions to equip people with emotional and social intelligence competencies.

The Effects of Implementation Quality of a School-Based Social and Emotional Well-Being Program on Students' Outcomes

School-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs can be effective in producing positive outcomes for students. However, when the implementation quality is poor, these programs often lose their effectiveness and fail to produce the expected positive outcomes. The current study evaluates a school-based SEL program for 15-18-year-olds in Ireland by determining the impact of implementation quality on program outcomes. The study also examines the effects on outcomes of different implementation dimensions including Dosage, Adherence, Quality of Delivery, and Participant Responsiveness. Employing a cluster randomized controlled trial design, this study collected student outcome data (n = 675) from 32 disadvantaged schools across three time points (pre-, post-, 12-month follow-up) and compared these data across three treatment groups (high-implementation, low-implementation, and control). Linear mixed models (LMM) were used to determine the relationships between the implementation data and student outcome data longitudinally. The findings revealed that the positive effects of the program were only observed with the high-, but not the low-implementation group (reduced suppression of emotions (p = 0.049); reduced avoidance coping (p = 0.006); increased social support coping (p = 0.009); reduced levels of stress (p = 0.035) and depressive symptoms (p = 0.025). The comparison of implementation dimensions revealed that only Quality of Delivery had a significant effect on all of the tested outcomes. This study highlights the importance of high-quality implementation in producing positive outcomes and supports the need to evaluate implementation using multiple dimensions.

Evaluating the Implementation Quality of a Social and Emotional Learning Program: A Mixed Methods Approach

School-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs have been shown to be effective in producing positive outcomes for adolescents. However, variability in implementation quality can have a negative impact on these program effects. The aim of this current study is to examine the variability in implementation quality for schools implementing the MindOut program and to identify factors that were likely to contribute to this variability. Employing a mixed methods approach, quantitative and qualitative implementation data were collected from teachers (n = 16) and students (n = 280) who participated in the MindOut program. Quantitative indicators were used to score schools’ implementation quality across four dimensions (dosage, adherence/fidelity, quality of delivery and participant responsiveness), and these were averaged to determine overall level of implementation (high/low). Qualitative data identified factors that contributed to implementation quality, and factors were then analyzed in accordance with the schools’ implementation level grouping. Findings indicated that variability in implementation quality existed both between and within schools. A total of eight schools were assigned as high implementers and another eight as low implementers. Influencing factors were categorized into five themes: (i) program factors, (ii) participant factors, (iii) teacher factors, (iv) school contextual factors, and (v) organizational capacity factors. Several differences between high and low implementers were found in relation to these influencing factors. The findings contribute to the evidence on implementation quality in schools by advancing knowledge on measuring implementation quality across multiple dimensions and informants successfully. These findings can also inform practitioners of the main influencing factors in schools so that strategies can be developed to optimize implementation quality in the future.

Can Schools Reduce Adolescent Psychological Stress? A Multilevel Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of School-Based Intervention Programs

Increased levels of psychological stress during adolescence have been associated with a decline in academic performance, school dropout and increased risk of mental health problems. Intervening during this developmental period may prevent these problems. The school environment seems particularly suitable for interventions and over the past decade, various school-based stress reduction programs have been developed. The present study aims to evaluate the results of (quasi-)experimental studies on the effectiveness of school-based intervention programs targeting adolescent psychological stress and to investigate moderators of effectiveness. A three-level random effects meta-analytic model was conducted. The search resulted in the inclusion of k = 54 studies, reporting on analyses in 61 independent samples, yielding 123 effect sizes (N = 16,475 individuals). The results indicated a moderate overall effect on psychological stress. Yet, significant effects were only found in selected student samples. School-based intervention programs targeting selected adolescents have the potential to reduce psychological stress. Recommendations for practice, policy and future research are discussed.

Development of Subjective Well-Being in Adolescence

Despite the importance of subjective well-being (SWB) for students' mental and physical health, there is a lack of longitudinal studies investigating the development of SWB in adolescents and what factors are associated with it over time. The present study seeks to shed further light on this question by investigating adolescents longitudinally. A sample of German academic tracks students (N = 476) from five schools were followed longitudinally over a time period of 30 months with four measurement points from Grade 11 to Grade 13. Alongside the longitudinal assessment of SWB (mood and life satisfaction), a range of other factors were also assessed at t1 including; demographic factors (sex, age, socio-economic status (HISEI)), intelligence, grades (report cards provided by the schools), personality (neuroticism, extraversion) and perceived parental expectations and support. Latent growth curve models were conducted to investigate the development of SWB and its correlates. On average, mood and life satisfaction improved at the end of mandatory schooling. However, students significantly differed in this pattern of change. Students' life satisfaction developed more positively if students had good grades at t1. Furthermore, even though introverted students started with lower life satisfaction at t1, extraverts' life showed greater increases over time. Changes in mood were associated with socio-economic background; the higher the HISEI the more positive the change. As social comparisons in school performance are almost inevitable, schools should intervene to buffer the influence of school grades on students' SWB.