The impact of cognitive behavioral intervention combined with classroom teaching on the mental health of students with depression

Abstract Background Due to heavy academic burdens, uncertain career prospects, and strict industry ethical standards, law students often face high psychological stress, which can easily lead to depression. Thus, providing timely psychological counseling for them is crucial. A fusion model combining Cognitive Behavioral Intervention with regular classroom teaching can enhance emotional regulation and social adaptation by adjusting negative thinking, improving stress coping skills, and promoting classroom interaction. This study systematically analyzed the impact of this combined approach on students’ mental health using standardized psychological tools and the depression symptom method, focusing on its effectiveness in reducing anxiety, depressive moods, and improving self-regulation, providing empirical evidence for promoting early non-drug interventions. Methods A total of 120 undergraduate students majoring in law who met the diagnostic criteria for depression in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) (DSM-5) were included in the study. The participants ranged in age from 18 to 25 years old. Participants were randomly divided into an intervention group (n = 60) and a control group (n = 60). The intervention group received a 12-week integrated intervention program of “cognitive behavioral intervention combined with classroom teaching.” The intervention is conducted in the regular course of Legal Professional Ethics, once a week for 90 minutes each time, for a total of 12 sessions. The control group only received regular teaching of “Legal Professional Ethics” course with the same class hours. The study used the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Beck Depression Inventory II, Second Edition (BDI-II) to measure before and after intervention (week 12). Statistical analysis was conducted using repeated measures analysis of variance, with a significance level set at p.05. Results The experimental results are shown in Table 1. It can be seen from Table 1 that the total score of STAI-S in the intervention group decreased from 49.3 ± 5.2 before the intervention to 30.1 ± 4.5 after the intervention, which was significantly better than that in the control group (p.001). The total score of STAI-S in the control group did not change significantly before and after the intervention (p.05). The total score of BDI-II in the intervention group showed that depressive symptoms were alleviated, decreasing from 28.5 ± 6.0 before the intervention to 22.4 ± 6.5 after the intervention. The total score after the intervention was significantly better than that of the control group (p.001). Discussion Research on the use of CBI combined with regular classroom teaching to explore its impact on the mental health of law students with depression. After the 12-week intervention, the data showed that participants who received the fusion intervention exhibited statistically significant and clinically significant improvements in both anxiety and depression symptoms, confirming the practical effectiveness of the intervention program.