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Cited by 340Student Stress and CopingMental Health Treatment and AccessProblem Solving Skills Development

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 133 of the 135 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

A Meta-analysis of Universal Mental Health Prevention Programs for Higher Education Students

Conley, Colleen S., Durlak, Joseph A., Kirsch, Alexandra C.·2015·Prevention Science
DOI 10.1007/s11121-015-0543-1
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Abstract

This meta-analysis investigated the effectiveness of universal mental health prevention programs for higher education students on a range of adjustment outcomes. A systematic literature search identified 103 controlled published and unpublished interventions involving college, graduate, or professional students. As hypothesized, skill-training programs that included a supervised practice component were significantly more effective overall (mean effect size = 0.45, confidence interval (CI) = 0.39 to 0.52) compared to skill-training programs without supervised practice (0.11, CI = -0.01 to 0.22) and psychoeducational (information-only) programs (0.13, CI = 0.06 to 0.21). When comparisons on specific outcomes were possible, skill-training programs including supervised practice were significantly more effective than the other two groups of programs in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and general psychological distress, and in improving social-emotional skills, self-perceptions, and academic behaviors and performance. The magnitude of effects achieved in several outcome areas is comparable to or higher than that reported in other reviews of universal programs, suggesting that skill-training programs for higher education students that incorporate supervised practice now join the ranks of other effective preventive mental health interventions. This review offers several recommendations to improve the experimental rigor of future research.

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Metadata

Authors
Conley, C. S., Durlak, J. A., & Kirsch, A. C.
Affiliations
Loyola University Chicago (US)
Corresponding author
Conley, Colleen S.
ORCID
Venue
Prevention Science
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2015-03-07
Volume
16
Issue
4
Pages
487-507
ISSN
  • 1389-4986 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-6695
DOI
10.1007/s11121-015-0543-1
OpenAlex
W2064324224
Cited by
340
References
135
Citations by year
2026: 29 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 38 · 2023: 52 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 75 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 7
FWCI
2.34
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Prevention Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Chicago
  • Loyola University Chicago
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Student Stress and Coping
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Problem Solving Skills Development
Keywords
university students, skill development programs, supervised practice, psychoeducational intervention, depression, anxiety, stress, psychological distress, socioemotional skills, academic performance, self-perception
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Mental Disorders, Emotions, Humans, Mental Health, Students, Universities, Young Adult

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