Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30105480›Full record

SynthesisClinical child and family psychology review2018

A Meta-Analysis of Universal School-Based Prevention Programs for Anxiety and Depression in Children.

Kristy M Johnstone, Eva Kemps, Junwen Chen

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical child and family psychology review, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 38 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
38citing papers in PubMed, 8 pooled it
10.2field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

38 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 100 citations in OpenAlex.

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  16. Transdiagnostic prevention in youth mental health, Part II: interventions.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Kristy M JohnstoneSchool of Psychology, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia. kristy.johnstone@flinders.edu.au.
Eva KempsSchool of Psychology, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.
Junwen ChenSchool of Psychology, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.
Flinders University · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Anxiety and depression are among the most common mental health issues experienced in childhood. Implementing school-based prevention programs during childhood, rather than adolescence, is thought to provide better mental health outcomes. The present meta-analysis aimed to investigate the efficacy of universal school-based prevention programs that target both anxiety and depression in children (aged 13 years or below), and examine three moderators (i.e., program type, primary target of program, and number of sessions) on prevention effects. PsycINFO, PubMED, and Google Scholar were systematically searched for relevant articles published up to and including January 2018. Fourteen randomised controlled trials, consisting of 5970 children, met eligibility criteria. Prevention programs led to significantly fewer depressive symptoms at post-program (g = 0.172) and at long-term follow-up periods (g = 0.180), but not at short-term follow-up. Programs were not found to prevent anxiety symptoms across any time point. Considerable heterogeneity was observed for all effects. Program type and length were found to moderate the relationship between prevention program and outcomes. Prevention programs were effective in preventing depressive symptoms at post-program and long-term follow-up, while no significant preventative effect on anxiety symptoms was observed. The FRIENDS Program and programs which contained a greater number of sessions showed beneficial effects on anxiety and depressive symptoms. Universal programs aimed at preventing both anxiety and depression in children are limited. Future research should investigate the long-term evaluation of school-based prevention programs for anxiety and depression in children.

Indexed as

School Health ServicesAdolescentAnxietyAnxiety DisordersChildDepressionDepressive DisorderHumansOutcome and Process Assessment, Health CareSchoolsAnxietyDepressionMeta-analysisPreventionSchool children

Identifiers

PMID30105480
OpenAlexW2885425706

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.