Trial reportBMJ (Clinical research ed.)2012
Classroom based cognitive behavioural therapy in reducing symptoms of depression in high risk adolescents: pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial.
Trial report in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 55 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
55 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Barriers and facilitators for the implementation of preventative mental health interventions among secondary schools in high-income countries: a systematic review.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Characteristics and practices of school-based cluster randomised controlled trials for improving health outcomes in pupils in the United Kingdom: a methodological systematic review.BMC medical research methodology · 2021Pooled it
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), third-wave CBT and interpersonal therapy (IPT) based interventions for preventing depression in children and adolescents.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2016Pooled it
- Socioeconomic gradients in the effects of universal school-based health behaviour interventions: a systematic review of intervention studies.BMC public health · 2015Pooled it
- Where to go from here? An exploratory meta-analysis of the most promising approaches to depression prevention programs for children and adolescents.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2015Pooled it
- Preventing the onset of major depressive disorder: a meta-analytic review of psychological interventions.International journal of epidemiology · 2014Pooled it
- Trainee-delivered school-based intervention with guided narrative writing for adolescent anxiety and depression: a cluster randomized controlled trial.BMC medicine · 2026Trial
- Brief Educational Workshops in Secondary Schools Trial (BESST): a cluster randomised controlled trial. Secondary analysis in those with elevated symptoms of depression.BMJ mental health · 2024Trial
- Protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial of an intervention to improve the mental health support and training available to secondary school teachers - the WISE (Wellbeing in Secondary Education) study.BMC public health · 2016Trial
- A cluster randomized controlled trial of the Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) curriculum.Journal of school psychology · 2016Trial
- Universal School-Based Depression Prevention 'Op Volle Kracht': a Longitudinal Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of abnormal child psychology · 2016Trial
- Short-term effects of the "Together at School" intervention program on children's socio-emotional skills: a cluster randomized controlled trial.BMC psychology · 2016Trial
- Trial
- A qualitative process evaluation of classroom-based cognitive behaviour therapy to reduce adolescent depression.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2014Trial
- Trial
- Small-Scale School-Based Cancer Education to Improve Awareness and Risk Reduction Knowledge Among Adolescents: A Pilot Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- Potential harm from universal school-based mental health interventions: Candidate mechanisms and future directions.Current opinion in psychology · 2026Review
- Do all adolescents benefit equally from school-based mental health interventions? A subgroup analysis by depression severity at 12 and 18 months follow-up.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- A Scoping Review of School Connectedness Interventions for Adolescents.The Journal of school health · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveTo compare the effectiveness of classroom based cognitive behavioural therapy with attention control and usual school provision for adolescents at high risk of depression.
designThree arm parallel cluster randomised controlled trial.
settingEight UK secondary schools.
participantsAdolescents (n=5030) aged 12-16 years in school year groups 8-11. Year groups were randomly assigned on a 1:1:1 ratio to cognitive behavioural therapy, attention control, or usual school provision. Allocation was balanced by school, year, number of students and classes, frequency of lessons, and timetabling. Participants were not blinded to treatment allocation.
interventionsCognitive behavioural therapy, attention control, and usual school provision provided in classes to all eligible participants.
main outcome measuresOutcomes were collected by self completed questionnaire administered by researchers. The primary outcome was symptoms of depression assessed at 12 months by the short mood and feelings questionnaire among those identified at baseline as being at high risk of depression. Secondary outcomes included negative thinking, self worth, and anxiety. Analyses were undertaken on an intention to treat basis and accounted for the clustered nature of the design.
results1064 (21.2%) adolescents were identified at high risk of depression: 392 in the classroom based cognitive behavioural therapy arm, 374 in the attention control arm, and 298 in the usual school provision arm. At 12 months adjusted mean scores on the short mood and feelings questionnaire did not differ for cognitive behavioural therapy versus attention control (-0.63, 95% confidence interval -1.85 to 0.58, P=0.41) or for cognitive behavioural therapy versus usual school provision (0.97, -0.20 to 2.15, P=0.12).
conclusionIn adolescents with depressive symptoms, outcomes were similar for attention control, usual school provision, and cognitive behavioural therapy. Classroom based cognitive behavioural therapy programmes may result in increased self awareness and reporting of depressive symptoms but should not be undertaken without further evaluation and research.
trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN19083628.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.