School nurse-delivered anxiety interventions for adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Forfatter(e)
- Osland, I., Haaland, A. T., Himle, J., Bertelsen, T. B.
- År
- 2025
- Tidsskrift
- Cogent Psychology
- Volum
- 12
- Sider
- 16
- Kategori(er)
- Angst og engstelighet (inkl. både vansker og lidelse)
- Tiltakstype(r)
- Skole/barnehagebaserte tiltak
- Abstract
Anxiety disorders among adolescents are common. Anxiety impacts social development, academic functioning, and overall well-being. To address the need for early and accessible interventions, there is growing interest in school nurses' potential to deliver anxiety-focused interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis followed a registered protocol and PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Eligibility criteria were defined using the PICO framework: adolescents aged 12-18 (Population), school nurse-delivered interventions for anxiety (Intervention), any pre-post or controlled comparison (Comparison), and changes in anxiety symptoms (Outcome). Relevant databases (PubMed, Oria, Embase, APA PsycInfo, CINAHL, and Google Scholar) were searched for peer-reviewed articles. Methodological quality of included studies was assessed using Johanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tools for RCTs and quasi-experimental designs. Out of 7475 records, 7 studies met inclusion criteria. Most interventions involved cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques delivered in group or individual formats. Meta-analysis of youth-rated anxiety outcomes reviled consistent symptom reductions at post-treatment (Cohens d = 0.65). Several studies also demonstrated sustained improvements at follow-up. However, variations in sample size, design, and intervention limit definitive conclusions. Still, the findings suggest school nurse-led CBT interventions may effectively reduce adolescent anxiety symptoms, supporting school nurses potential role in providing early, accessible mental health care in school settings.