Improving Middle School Students Awareness of Personal Anxiety Strategies Through Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy
Abstract
Anxiety is a frequently diagnosed mental health disorder identified in children living in the United States. The present study focuses on a universal anxiety treatment Coping Cat Program (Kendall & Hedtke, 2006). A sample of six middle school students were referred to the school psychologist for anxiety intervention, ages 11-14 years old. The Coping Cat Program was modified from a 14-week program to a 6-week program. Student anxiety level data was collected via a self-report scale of present anxiety level post-intervention. Results of the present study indicate a small to moderate amount of anxiety reduction at the end of the six-week intervention. Implementation and results were impacted because the intervention was conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in data and participation inconsistency. Overall, the study indicated that universal anxiety treatment moderately reduced anxiety symptoms.