Effectiveness of stress management on mental health issues in adolescent and young adult

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Increasing proportion of students reported high level of mental stress in regards to school environment. Adolescent and young adults often have inadequate abilities and skills to coping with stress-related impairments. Stress management intervention (SMI) is considered as a primary prevention from adverse effect of stress and with potential of increasing coping skills for students.

OBJECTIVES: 1) to assess internal and external validity of published SMI among adolescents and young adults and 2) to evaluate the effectiveness on mental health issues considered in included SMIs.

METHODS: This is a review of assessing effectiveness of published SMI from database, including PubMed, Medline and PsycINFO, from 2000 to 2012, limited to adolescent and young adult. Data including the country of where study conducted, participants, intervention process and control group, length of follow-up, outcome measures and findings was gained and synthesised. Effect sizes categorised into five groups were calculated.

RESULTS: Ten studies were identified. Five studies were comprehensive interventions that consisted of multiplied fundamental types of interventions to variety of outcomes. Three studies narrowed to single fundamental training for intervention and two studies used a specific approach. Concerning Internet-based intervention, three out of ten studies conducted with computer-assisted approach. Most of outcome measurements had positive effect size, in terms of symptoms of stress, coping strategies, cognition functions and academic performance.

CONCLUSION: In general, SMI can effectively decrease stress and improve coping skills in adolescent and young adults. Sustainable effect of post-period of stress management programme is satisfactory. The positive effect size of this review could provide evidences and support the efficacy and effectiveness of stress management in adolescents and young adults.