Adolescent mental health program components and behavior risk reduction: A meta-analysis
Although adolescent mental health interventions are widely implemented, little consensus exists about elements comprising successful models. The article’s authors aimed to identify effective program components of interventions to promote mental health and prevent mental disorders and risk behaviors during adolescence and to match these components across these key health outcomes to inform future multi-component intervention development.
A total of 14,600 records were identified, and 158 studies were included. Studies included universally delivered psychosocial interventions administered to adolescents ages 10 to 19. The study’s results showed that universally delivered interventions can improve adolescent mental health and reduce risk behavior. Of seven components with consistent signals of effectiveness, three had significant effects over multiple outcomes (interpersonal skills, emotional regulation, and alcohol and drug education). Three program components emerged as consistently effective across different outcomes, providing a basis for developing future multi-outcome intervention programs.
