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Background <p>Anxiety and depression are increasingly prevalent public health concerns among adolescents. Group Behavioral Activation Therapy (GBAT), a structured school-based intervention, has shown promise as a potential approach for alleviating these conditions.</p> Methods <p>This quasi-experimental trial evaluated the efficacy of school-implemented GBAT in reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents. Participants (<i>N</i> = 139; aged 12–17 years; 44.6% male) were assigned to either a GBAT group (<i>n</i> = 72) or a waitlist control group (<i>n</i> = 67). The GBAT protocol consisted of eight weekly 90-minute sessions. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up using the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) and the Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children (DSRSC).</p> Results <p>A total of 93.06% of students completed all eight GBAT sessions. Post-intervention SCARED scores decreased significantly, <i>t</i> (135) = 2.44, <i>MD</i> = 4.20, <i>95% CI</i> [0.79, 7.60], <i>p</i> = 0.016, <i>Cohen’s d</i> = 0.42. Linear mixed-model analysis revealed a significant group effect (<i>F</i> (1,397) = 10.60, <i>p</i> = 0.001), indicating lower anxiety scores in the GBAT group compared with the waitlist control. A significant time effect was also observed, <i>F</i> (1,397) = 7.64, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001. At 3-month follow-up, GBAT maintained significant improvement in anxiety (SCARED: <i>MD</i> = 8.69, <i>95% CI</i> [3.58, 13.80], <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001 <i>Cohen’s d</i> = 0.82) and depressive symptoms (DSRSC: <i>MD</i> = 2.28, <i>95% CI</i> [0.10, 4.46], <i>p</i> = 0.037, <i>Cohen’s d</i> = 0.43), indicating moderate to large effect sizes.</p> Conclusions <p>These preliminary findings suggest that GBAT may be a promising primary prevention strategy for adolescent mental health. This study provides a foundation for future research exploring its potential integration into school-based mental health frameworks.</p>

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Reducing anxiety and depression in Chinese adolescents through group behavioral activation: a pilot study with school-based implementation

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月24日

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  • Fang Zhang,
  • Wenjing Liu,
  • Hongmei Yang,
  • Yang Sun,
  • Xiaoxia Lei,
  • Yue Ding,
  • Xiaochen Zhang,
  • Zhishan Hu,
  • Shuaishuai Hu,
  • Zhen Wang,
  • Wenhong Cheng

摘要

Background

Anxiety and depression are increasingly prevalent public health concerns among adolescents. Group Behavioral Activation Therapy (GBAT), a structured school-based intervention, has shown promise as a potential approach for alleviating these conditions.

Methods

This quasi-experimental trial evaluated the efficacy of school-implemented GBAT in reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents. Participants (N = 139; aged 12–17 years; 44.6% male) were assigned to either a GBAT group (n = 72) or a waitlist control group (n = 67). The GBAT protocol consisted of eight weekly 90-minute sessions. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up using the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) and the Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children (DSRSC).

Results

A total of 93.06% of students completed all eight GBAT sessions. Post-intervention SCARED scores decreased significantly, t (135) = 2.44, MD = 4.20, 95% CI [0.79, 7.60], p = 0.016, Cohen’s d = 0.42. Linear mixed-model analysis revealed a significant group effect (F (1,397) = 10.60, p = 0.001), indicating lower anxiety scores in the GBAT group compared with the waitlist control. A significant time effect was also observed, F (1,397) = 7.64, p < 0.001. At 3-month follow-up, GBAT maintained significant improvement in anxiety (SCARED: MD = 8.69, 95% CI [3.58, 13.80], p < 0.001 Cohen’s d = 0.82) and depressive symptoms (DSRSC: MD = 2.28, 95% CI [0.10, 4.46], p = 0.037, Cohen’s d = 0.43), indicating moderate to large effect sizes.

Conclusions

These preliminary findings suggest that GBAT may be a promising primary prevention strategy for adolescent mental health. This study provides a foundation for future research exploring its potential integration into school-based mental health frameworks.