NCJ Number
229345
Journal
Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry Volume: 40 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2009 Pages: 522-532
Date Published
December 2009
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This article reports on an evaluation of a new school program that promotes the psychological well-being and optimal functioning of adolescent students through five classroom sessions that focus on psycho-education, cognitive-behavioral techniques, and Ryff's model of psychological well-being (Ryff, 1989).
Abstract
One significant effect of the program was improvement in personal growth as measured by Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scales. The program was also effective in decreasing distress, particularly anxiety and somatization (physical ailments derived from emotional distress). These effects were measured with Kellner's Symptom Questionnaire (Kellner, 1987), and the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (Reynolds and Richmond, 1978). The WBT (Well-Being Therapy) protocol involved five sessions. The first session trained students to identify and express a wide range of positive and negative emotions, so as to recognize a variety of emotions they can feel and how they influence their behavior. The second session focused on the link between thoughts and emotions using the cognitive model. The last three sessions were based on Ryff's model of well-being, which addresses autonomy, environmental mastery, positive interpersonal relationships, personal growth, purpose in life, and self-acceptance. The evaluation involved the random assignment of 9 classes (227 students) to WBT intervention (5 classes) and attention-placebo (4 classes). Assessment with the aforementioned instruments was performed immediately before and after the intervention, as well as 6 months later. 2 tables, 1 figure, and 50 references