A Systematic Review of Interventions to Reduce Stress in Adolescence

Abstract

Adolescence can be a stressful developmental phase, placing youth at risk for negative health outcomes. Evidence-based interventions are crucial to helping adolescents manage stress; yet, most of the literature on adolescent stress is observational and descriptive. We systematically reviewed the literature on stress management interventions for adolescents and found there is evidence to support the effectiveness of interventions that aim to develop cognitive skills among adolescents; however, most studies had small samples and relied on different operational definitions of outcomes. Few included biological indicators of stress. Further study is needed to develop interventions to enhance adolescents' capacity to manage stress.

Social space and alcohol use initiation among youth in northern Tanzania

“…There is also a need to explore more concerning how and in what situations stress influences young people to start drinking and the role of social interaction in facilitating this form of drinking. In addressing this association between alcohol use and stress relief, interventions could encourage young people to derive other mechanisms of coping with stress that are less harmful [ 37 ].…”

Psychometric properties of the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth: A psychological measure of psychological inflexibility in youth

“…Meta-analysis and systematic reviews have been conducted to investigate what kind of stress management interventions (SMI) are available and can reduce stress in adolescence (e.g., Rew, Johnson, & Young, 2014;Regehr, Glancy, & Pitts, 2013;Durlak et al, 2011;Vo & Park, 2008). Overall, the results are promising; most studies show positive results when it comes to reducing self-reported or physiological measures of stress.…”

Evaluation of the Factor Structure of the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire in Chinese Adolescents

“…Cumulative and simultaneous occurrences of stressors can constitute potential threats to the well-being and healthy development of children and adolescents (Colten, 2017; Eiland & Romeo, 2013; Grant et al, 2003). Adolescent stress has been related to not only health-risk behaviors, such as consuming alcohol, smoking and abusing other substances, and maintaining poor eating habits (Garcia, 2010; Jaaskelainen et al, 2014; Low et al, 2012; King, Molina, & Chassin, 2009; Rew, Johnson, & Young, 2014) but also depression (Charbonneau, Mezulis, & Hyde, 2009; Liu & Alloy, 2010; Moksnes, Byrne, Mazanov, & Espnes, 2010; Murray, Byrne, & Rieger, 2011), anxiety (Anyan & Hjemdal, 2016; Beiter et al, 2015), and suicidal behaviors (Hewitt, Caelian, Chen, & Flett, 2014; Mathew & Nanoo, 2013). Therefore, it is important to assess and understand adolescent stress using reliable and valid measurements to promote adolescent health.…”