School-based stress management training: Effects on the recovery-strain state and general self-efficacy

The present study was aimed to examine the short- and mid-term effectiveness of a newly developed school-based stress management training for early adolescents in comparison with a no-treatment control group. The study investigated the intervention effects of age (5/6th vs. 7/8th graders) and gender on recovery-strain state and the general self-efficacy prior to, immediately after. as well as three months after the intervention. Three hundred and twenty adolescents (aged 10 to 14 years) were included in fire study. Findings support consistent general intervention effects. Me experimental group improved in all scores, especially at the follow-up assessment. In contrast, the control group showed mostly impaired effects. thus, at the follow-up assessment. the experimental group scored significantly better on internal resources than the control group. Although the effects must be replicated in a randomized control group study, our findings support the idea that important protective factors for the psychosocial development of adolescents can be improved by this universal preventive program.