School-based Interventions for Test Anxiety in Adolescents

Liverpool John Moores University

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Anxiety

Treatments: Behavioral: Relaxation; Behavioral: Identifying and challenging negative thoughts; Behavioral: Overcoming avoidance; Behavioral: Triggers for anxiety; Behavioral: Goal Setting

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03610542

EHC0341

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study evaluates the clinical and cost effectiveness of test anxiety as a form of selective prevention for clinical anxiety. Participants will be randomly allocated to cognitive behavioural therapy without booster sessions, cognitive behavioural therapy with two booster sessions, or a no intervention control.

Full description

Test anxiety affects a substantial proportion of adolescents, who show an increased risk of suicide, and of developing clinical anxiety and poor mental health. Externally resourced school-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions have been shown to be effective in treating test anxiety. Intervening in test anxiety, a sub-clinical anxiety, may prevent anxieties from developing into a clinical disorder. The primary outcomes are test anxiety, clinical anxiety, and wellbeing, measured at baseline, post-intervention, and 6 and 12-month follow-up. In addition, to identify treatment mechanisms additional measures are taken of uncertain control, metacognition, and emotional regulation.

Enrollment: 400 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 14 to 16 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Participants are aged 14-16 years of age
• In the upper 66th percentile of test anxiety scores

Exclusion criteria

• Participants are receiving other treatment for anxiety
• Participants have a diagnosis of clinical anxiety depression or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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400 participants in 3 patient groups

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Experimental group

Description:

Cognitive behaviour therapy conducted in groups of 6-8 persons.One forty-five minute session per week for 6 weeks: Triggers for anxiety, identifying and challenging negative thoughts, relaxation, overcoming avoidance, and goal setting.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Goal Setting

Behavioral: Triggers for anxiety

Behavioral: Overcoming avoidance

Behavioral: Relaxation

Behavioral: Identifying and challenging negative thoughts

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with 2 Booster Sessions

Experimental group

Description:

Cognitive behaviour therapy conducted in groups of 6-8 persons.One forty-five minute session per week for 6 weeks: Triggers for anxiety, identifying and challenging negative thoughts, relaxation, overcoming avoidance, and goal setting. 2 booster sessions (forty-five minutes each) will be provided at three and nine months. Each session will recap the content of the initial 6 sessions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Goal Setting

Behavioral: Triggers for anxiety

Behavioral: Overcoming avoidance

Behavioral: Relaxation

Behavioral: Identifying and challenging negative thoughts

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

This is a no intervention control arm