A controlled evaluation of the ‘FRIENDS for Life’ emotional resiliency programme on overall anxiety levels, anxiety subtype levels and school adjustment

Background: Anxiety constitutes the most common form of psychopathology in childhood and adolescence. Methods: This randomised controlled study evaluated the ‘FRIENDS for Life’ school-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy programme on overall anxiety, anxiety subtypes and school adjustment. Sixty-two students aged 12–13 completed measures of anxiety and school adjustment before, immediately after and 4 months after completing the programme. Parents and teachers also rated the students on overall anxiety levels and school adjustment respectively. Results: The intervention group’s ‘overall anxiety’ and specifically ‘separation anxiety’ reduced significantly during the programme and continued to decrease at the 4-month follow-up. Conclusions: A significant negative correlation was found between anxiety and school adjustment. The professional implications of these findings are discussed.