Examining the Effectiveness of a Coping Skills Intervention for Anxiety for Junior High School Students amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study implemented a school-based intervention aimed at improving coping flexibility, and to determine the intervention effects on coping and anxiety in children during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 692 first and second year of junior high school students (347 boys, 320 girls, and 25 neither) participated. Of the 19 classes first and second year of junior high school, 10 participated in the intervention in July 2021 and nine participated in January 2022. The results showed that the intervention program effectively reduced students’ anxiety. With regard to coping, there was no change in “seeking support,” a decrease in “problem avoidance,” and an increase in “positive interpretation and recreation.” The current intervention, which aimed at improving coping flexibility, was effective in reducing anxiety and promoting coping among junior high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic. In future it may be necessary discussed to reduce the burden on schools to accept outside experts by using information-technology equipment and other means to conduct the intervention remotely.