The impact of the FRIENDS emotional health programme on anxiety, self-statements and coping strategies in children

• Main Author: Smith, Samantha L. H.
• Published: University of East London 2010
• Subjects: 150
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.536621

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the FRIENDS programme - a ten week cognitive behavioural intervention for anxiety in children - on anxiety, negative selfstatements and coping strategies. The study took place in a large county within the south of England. Five schools agreed to participate in the study and parental and child consent was obtained for 83 participants. The children included in the study were aged between 9 and 10 years of age. The study utilised a quasi-experimental design incorporating an experimental and wait-list control group and pre- and post-test measures. The measures consisted of self-report questionnaires which were used to record changes in anxiety, use of negative selfstatements and coping strategies. The findings showed the intervention was effective in increasing the use of approach coping strategies in children, although there was no significant reduction in avoidant coping strategies, as hypothesised. However, the expected reduction in anxiety was not evidenced. Furthermore, the intervention was found to significantly increase the self-reported use of negative self-statements. These findings are then discussed in relation to previous literature in the field and the implications for professional practice and recommendations for future research are then noted. It is concluded that, until the long term effects of this programme on negative selfstatements and coping are known, the results from this study can not be used to support the recommended use of the FRIENDS programme in schools. Further research is therefore needed to ascertain the long term impact of the programme on negative self-statements and coping. Further research can also usefully investigate the relationships between negative self-statements and anxiety and also coping and anxiety.