Stress Management Interventions Among U.S. High School Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Adolescent ineffective stress management has been associated with negative health outcomes, such as anxiety and depression. Comprehensively evaluating the effects of stress management interventions is needed. Aims: The aim of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the effects of stress management interventions on mental health outcomes (stress, anxiety, depression, and positive and negative affect) and perform moderation analysis to identify moderators of intervention effects on stress, anxiety, and depression among U.S. high school adolescents. Methods: Four databases (CINAHL, ERIC, PubMed, and PsycINFO) were searched. After literature screening, 24 articles describing 25 studies were retained. Hedge’s  g was calculated using random-effects models. Exploratory moderation analyses were performed to identify moderators. Results: The pooled effects on reducing stress were −0.36. The interventions had small effects on decreasing anxiety ( g = −0.31) and depression ( g = −0.23). Long-term follow-up effects were −0.77 on perceived stress, −0.08 on anxiety, and −0.19 on depression. Mind-body and cognitive-behavioral interventions had moderate effects on reducing anxiety ( g = −0.51). Interventions with longer duration (>8 weeks) were more effective in reducing anxiety (−0.39 vs. −0.26) and depression (−0.36 vs. −0.17). Conclusions: These findings support the short-term effectiveness of stress management interventions in improving mental health among high school adolescents in the United States. Subsequent research efforts should focus on sustaining long-term effects.