Exploring the Effect of Psychological Interventions on Anxiety and Depression in Adolescents based on Behavior Change Wheel Theory

Abstract

Background: Anxiety is a common mental health problem among adolescents that substantially increases the risk of anxiety disorder. Depression in adulthood and is a high-risk factor leading to suicide. We aimed to explore effective anxiety intervention methods in view of the annual rising detection rate of anxiety in adolescents.

Methods: We enrolled 150 volunteers with mild anxiety or above (anxiety scale≥50 points) from 1015 adolescents between March and May 2023 in four communities in Shenyang, Liaoning Province and Nantong, Jiangsu Province in China. The participants were randomly divided into the experimental and control groups, comprising 73 and 74, respectively. The experimental group was given 2-month psychological intervention based on behavior change wheel (BCW) theory, whereas the control group was given no intervention.

Results: The average anxiety score of the participants 46.57 ± 14.19, with 40.4% having anxiety symptoms. Anxiety was statistically correlated with self-evaluation of physical condition, family relationship, and grades (P < 0.05). The depression and anxiety score of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Anxiety has become a common phenomenon among adolescents. Self-evaluation of physical condition, family relationship, and grades are the focus of intervention for individuals with anxiety. The intervention method proposed in this study can effectively reduce the level of anxiety and depression in adolescents, providing a new perspective for formulating anxiety intervention strategies for adolescents.