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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Mental Health: Targeted School-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Programs to Reduce Depression and Anxiety Symptoms

About this resource:

Systematic Review

Source: The Guide to Community Preventive Services

Last Reviewed: February 2019

Workgroups: Early and Middle Childhood Workgroup

The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends targeted school-based cognitive behavioral therapy programs to reduce depression and anxiety in school-aged children and adolescents at increased risk for these conditions. Trained school staff or outside mental health professionals deliver these interventions in individual or group settings. The programs help students build strategies to: 

  • Solve problems 
  • Regulate emotions 
  • Establish helpful thought and behavior patterns 
Read more about this resource

Objectives related to this resource (2)

Increase the proportion of children and adolescents who get appropriate treatment for anxiety or depression — EMC‑D04
Developmental
Increase the proportion of children and adolescents who get preventive mental health care in school — EMC‑D06
Developmental

Suggested Citation

1.

Guide to Community Preventive Services. (2019). Mental Health: Targeted School-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Programs to Reduce Depression and Anxiety Symptoms. Retrieved from https://www.thecommunityguide.org/findings/mental-health-targeted-school-based-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-programs-reduce-depression-anxiety-symptoms