The effectiveness of school-based mental health programmes for adolescents has been well established before the COVID-19 pandemic, but their impact at different adolescent stages and during global crises remains underexplored. This study assessed a brief intervention (five 1-hour sessions) delivered during the pandemic, comparing its effects in early and middle adolescence. Using a quasi-experimental pre-post design, 190 students (35% girls) from two schools participated, with 133 in the intervention group and 57 in the control group. The programme incorporated positive psychology techniques to enhance mental health. Outcomes measured included positive and negative affect, self-esteem, anxiety, and academic performance, with comparisons between early (n = 67) and middle (n = 66) adolescence. Results showed that the intervention group experienced significant increases in positive affect and self-esteem, and reductions in anxiety, compared to controls. The programme was particularly effective for students in middle adolescence. These findings support the implementation of brief psychoeducational interventions in schools to strengthen adolescents' mental health and coping skills during challenging periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tejada‐Gallardo et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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