Adolescent Stress Management in a Primary Care Clinic

Area of Science:

• Adolescent mental health
• Primary care interventions
• Stress management techniques

Background:

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening adolescents for mental health concerns.
• Adolescents require guidance on effective stress management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of an integrated care model for adolescent stress management in a primary care setting.

Main Methods:

• Eighty-six adolescents were assigned to an intervention (n=50) or control (n=36) group.
• The intervention included training in diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and low-cost exercise, guided by biofeedback.
• Subjective distress and heart rate variability were measured pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Participants in the intervention group showed decreased perceived stress levels.
• Intervention group participants exhibited increased heart rate variability compared to the control group.

Conclusions:

• An integrated care model in primary care is a feasible approach to improve adolescent stress management.
• This model effectively enhances stress management skills and physiological markers of stress in adolescents.