School mental healthcare services using internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy for young male athletes in Japan

Preventive intervention and treatment using internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy (iCBT) can be easily administered to school students, as they are quite familiar with internet tools. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness and contribution of iCBT to mental healthcare in a school setting.

Eighty Japanese high school boys who were participating in a sports specialist course were enrolled in this study. The participants were randomly assigned to either the iCBT intervention group or the control group. Both programmes were administered for 4 weeks. To evaluate the effects, physical and mental health problems and self-efficacy were assessed.

The mean number of times that the iCBT website was accessed during the intervention period was 16.9, and the mean access frequency (percentage of the number of times the website was accessed during the intervention period) was 40.1% in the iCBT group. A statistically significant interaction between group and time in favour of the iCBT group was observed based on the Kessler-6 (K6) scale for depression and anxiety.

The results suggest that a school mental healthcare programme using iCBT is suitable for students and useful for coping with stress and reducing depressed mood and anxiety in young people, especially athletes, who are regarded as needing special mental health support.