A homeschool-based cognitive behavioral program to improve adolescent mental health

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Mental Health Services Research
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Adolescent anxiety and depression are widespread, with low treatment utilization due to limited access to mental health providers.
• Homeschooled adolescents face unique barriers to mental health care access, a problem exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• School-based mental health services are common, but not accessible to homeschooled students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of the Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment (COPE) program in increasing access to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for homeschooled adolescents.
• To evaluate the impact of the COPE program on anxiety and depression symptoms in a homeschool cooperative setting.

Main Methods:

• A pilot evidence-based practice project involving eight homeschooled students in the COPE program.
• Utilized a Friedman test to analyze changes in anxiety and depression screening scores at baseline, program completion, and one month post-program.
• Collected participant feedback through an adapted COPE program evaluation.

Main Results:

• Median anxiety and depression scores decreased from pre-program to one month after completion, though not statistically significant.
• Participants reported the COPE program was beneficial, equipping them with new coping strategies for thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
• Qualitative feedback indicated positive participant experiences and perceived usefulness of the program.

Conclusions:

• The COPE program presents a feasible model for delivering CBT to homeschooled adolescents.
• This approach has the potential to bridge the gap in mental health service accessibility for this population.
• Further research is warranted to explore the efficacy and scalability of the COPE program.