Contextualized School-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Intervention for Malaysian Secondary School Students

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Adolescent Mental Health
• School-Based Interventions

Background:

• Adolescent depression is a significant concern in Malaysian secondary schools.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) shows promise for treating depressive symptoms in youth.
• A need exists for accessible, school-based mental health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Shine Through Any Roadblocks (STAR) CBT intervention.
• To assess the impact of STAR on depressive symptoms and automatic negative thoughts in adolescents.
• To determine the sustainability of intervention effects over time.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 85 secondary school students in Malaysia.
• Participants were assigned to either the STAR intervention group (n=42) or a waitlist control group (n=43).
• The STAR intervention comprised eight 60-minute group sessions over 2 months, with assessments at multiple time points.

Main Results:

• The STAR intervention group demonstrated significant reductions in depressive symptoms.
• Automatic negative thoughts were also significantly lowered in the intervention group.
• These positive effects on adolescent mental health were sustained at 1-month and 3-month follow-ups.

Conclusions:

• The school-based STAR CBT intervention is effective in reducing depressive symptomatology among adolescents.
• STAR offers a viable and sustainable approach to improving adolescent mental well-being in school settings.
• Findings support the implementation of STAR within the Malaysian secondary school system.