School-Based Group Therapy Shows Mental Health Benefits for Teen Girls of Color

This study marks one of the first studies of a dolescent mental health for young women of color [and] ... provides rigorous evidence about how to systematically reduce the prevalence of these challenges at scale through an innovative, group-based, in-school model of therapy.”The WOW program —which the authors noted was “designed specifically by and for Black and Latinx women”—includes 39 group lessons designed around five themes: self-awareness, emotional intelligence, healthy relationships, visionary goal setting, and leadership. The WOW curriculum incorporates elements of cog nitive-behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and narrative therapy. Each group of 10 to 15 high school girls meets with a master-level WOW counselor once a week during an elective period. WOW counselors provide individual therapy and/or refer students for additional services, if nee ded.For this study, Bhatt and colleagues enrolled 3,749 girls from 10 public schools located in Chicago ’s south or west sides prior to the 2017-2018 academic year; 1,232 of the girls received WOW during the year while 2,517 had access to all standard services and electives. About 85% of students were Black and/or Hispanic/Latinx. About 600 students were randomly selected to fill out a comprehensive baseline survey on mental and physical health measures in the fall of 2017; just over 2,000 were selected for a follow-up survey after May 2018.Students who participated in the WOW group experienced ...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: ACT black CBT Chicago group therapy Hispanic Latinx narrative therapy school Science Advances Source Type: research