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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2016 Dec:87:170-181.
doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2016.09.011. Epub 2016 Sep 26.

Reducing risk for anxiety and depression in adolescents: Effects of a single-session intervention teaching that personality can change

Jessica L Schleider  1 , John R Weisz  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Reducing risk for anxiety and depression in adolescents: Effects of a single-session intervention teaching that personality can change

Jessica L Schleider et al. Behav Res Ther. 2016 Dec.

Abstract

Efforts to reduce youth mental health problems have advanced greatly but have not lowered overall rates of youth mental illness. Thus, a need exists for disseminable, mechanism-targeted approaches to reducing risk of youth psychopathology. Accordingly, we conducted a randomized-controlled trial testing whether a single-session intervention teaching growth personality mindsets (the belief that personality is malleable) reduced known risk factors for anxiety and depression in adolescents experiencing or at risk for internalizing problems (N = 96, ages 12-15). Compared to a supportive-therapy control, a 30-min computer-guided mindset intervention strengthened adolescents' perceived control; this improvement was associated with increases in growth mindsets. Further, electrodermal activity recovery slopes showed that youths receiving the mindset intervention recovered from a lab-based social stressor over three times as fast as control group youths. Improvements in growth mindsets and perceived control were linked with faster stress recovery. Results suggest a disseminable strategy for reducing internalizing problem risk among adolescents.

Keywords: Adolescence; Anxiety; Depression; Intervention; Mediation; Mindset; Youth.

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Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Outline of study procedure
Fig 2
Fig 2
Reductions in fixed mindsets were associated with intervention effects on perceived control.
Fig 3
Fig 3
Mindset intervention were associated with steeper EDA recovery slopes through (1) reductions in fixed mindsets and (2) improvements inb perceived primary control.
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