Search

Introduction: In the recent years a large body of literature has focused its attention to the study of the positive aspects of adolescence, in particular quality of life, happiness and social functioning. The school is an ideal setting for promoting learning abilities, educational processes and also optimal human and social development., Aim: A new school program for the promotion of psychological well-being has been tested and compared to an attention-placebo intervention in a high school setting., Methods: Nine classes (227 students) were enrolled in the study and randomized to: a) School Well-Being Therapy intervention (5 classes); b)attention-placebo (4 classes). 1) Symptom Questionnaire (SQ); 2) Psychological Well-Being Scales (PWB); 3) Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS) were administered at pre- and post-intervention, and after six months., Results: WBT school intervention was associated to an improved Personal Growth (PWB), and to decreased distress (Somatization (SQ), Physical Well-being (SQ), Anxiety (SQ), and RCMAS Physiological Anxiety)., Discussion and Conclusions: A school intervention focused on the promotion of positive emotions and psychological well-being has resulted to be effective not only in increasing these dimensions in high school students, but also in decreasing distress, in particular anxiety and somatization.

Background: In the last decade there has been increasing interest in the potential of early preventive interventions capable of promoting psychological well being in order to reduce the risk of childhood psychological distress. This study analyzes the differential effects of strategies for promotion of psychological well-being (Well-Being Therapy, WBT) and removal of distress (Anxiety Management, AM) in a non clinical school setting., Methods: Our sample consisted of eight classes (N=162 students) attending middle schools in Northern Italy which were randomly assigned to a protocol derived from WBT (4 classes) and to an anxiety-management protocol (AM) (4 classes). Immediately before and after both school interventions students were assessed using the Psychological Well-Being Scales (PWB), Kellner's Symptom Questionnaire (SQ) and the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (R-CMAS). A six month follow-up was performed in the following school year, and students were re-assessed with the same psychometric instruments., Results: Our results lend support to the possibility to change attitudes to psychological well-being and distress with brief interventions in school (both well-being improving and distress removing)., Conclusions: Further investigations should determine whether the combined and sequential integration of well-being and symptom oriented strategies may yield more complete and lasting effects that each strategy alone.