Abstract
This pilot study assessed the treatment outcome of mental health services for high school students enrolled in a school-based health clinic in Baltimore. Compared to students receiving no mental health treatment (n = 34), treated students (n = 39) showed improvements in self-concept and decreased depression scores following the receipt of individual therapy services (augmented for some students with group therapy). While depression scores decreased for the treatment group, they actuallyincreased for students in the comparison group. Students in the treatment group also showed nonsignificant decreases in anger and anxiety. Implications for the future development of school-based mental health services are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adelman, H.S., & Taylor, L. (1991). Early school adjustment problems: Some perspectives and a project report.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 61, 468–474.
Conoley, J.C. & Conoley, C.W. (1991). Collaboration for child adjustment: Issues for school- and clinic-based child psychologists.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 821–829.
Dolan, L.J. (1992).Models for integrating human services into the school (Tech. Rep. No. 30). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Research on Effective Schooling for Disadvantaged Students.
Duncan, G. (1991). The economic environment of childhood. In A.C. Huston (Ed.),Children in poverty (pp. 23–50). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Dryfoos, J.G. (1991, February–June).Full service schools: What they are and how to get to be one. Training program presented to the Departments of Health and Rehabilitative Services, and Education, State of Florida.
Flaherty, L.T., Weist, M.D., & Warner, B.S. (in press).School-based mental health services for urban youth: Historical perspectives, current programs and future directions. Community Mental Health Journal.
Garbarino, J. (1976). A preliminary study of some ecological correlates of child abuse: The impact of socioeconomic stress on mothers.Child Development, 47, 178–185.
Lavoritano, J., & Segal, P.B. (1992). Evaluating the efficacy of a school counseling program.Psychology in the Schools, 29, 61–70.
Prothrow-Stith, D. (1991).Deadly consequences: How violence is destroying our teenage population and a plan to begin solving the problem. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
Reynolds, W.M. (1987).Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale: Professional Manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
Reynolds, C.R., & Richmond, B.O. (1978). What I Think and Feel: A revised measure of children's manifest anxiety.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 6, 271–280.
Rosenberg, M. (1965).Society and adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Rutter, M., & Quinton, D. (1977). Psychiatric disorder: Ecological factors and concepts of causation. In H. McGurk (Ed.),Ecological factors in human development. Amsterdam: North Holland.
Sigmon, S.B. (1988). A framework to determine when the psychologist should counsel.Psychology in the Schools, 25, 62–64.
Slavin, R.E., Madden, N.A., Karweit, N.L., Dolan, L.J., & Wasik, B.A. (1992).Success for All: A relentless approach to prevention and early intervention in elementary schools. Arlington, VA: Educational Research Service.
Spielberger, C.D. (1988).State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory: Professional Manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
Thomas, A. (1987). School psychologist: An integral member of the school health team.Journal of School Health, 57, 465–468.
Tingstrom, D.H., Little, S.G., & Stewart, K.J. (1990). School consultation from a social psychological perspective: A review.Psychology in the Schools, 27, 41–50.
Weist, M.D., Proescher, E.L., Freedman, A.H., Paskewitz, D.A., & Flaherty, L.T. (1995). School-based health services for urban adolescents: Psychosocial characteristics of clinic users versus nonusers.Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 24, 251–265.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
We thank Thelma Wharton and Chianti Jackson for assistance in data collection, administrative staff from the Baltimore City Health Department for supporting the study, and the students and staff of Southwestern High School for their assistance.
The authors are affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Weist, M.D., Paskewitz, D.A., Warner, B.S. et al. Treatment outcome of school-based mental health services for urban teenagers. Community Ment Health J 32, 149–157 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02249752
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02249752