Efficacy of humanistic counselling in schools for emotional distress

INTERVENTION: Counselling: Young people were offered weekly counselling for up to six sessions. The nature of the counselling was therapeutic rather than advice‐ or career‐orientated, and was based on the competences for humanistic psychological therapies developed at University College London through funding from Skills for Health. Counselling, defined in this way, puts particular emphasis on the development of a trusting relationship between the therapist and client, and tries to understand the client's 'world' from their point of view. Counsellors were BACP accredited practitioners or equivalent, working within a set of professional ethical guidelines for counselling and psychotherapy. They had experience of working in humanistic ways with young people. A selection of session recordings were audited by the research team to monitor adherence to humanistic psychological therapy competences. The Humanistic Competences Compliance Checklist Version 3 was developed for this purpose. The Checklist was based on the format of the NICE(R) Record Sheet. Waiting list: Young people allocated to the control condition were not offered any formal counselling intervention for the six week period. However, they were informed that they had access to the school's full pastoral care provision at any point during the trial, including the school's pre‐existing counselling service. At the endpoint assessment, participants in the waiting list condition were offered the option of direct entry to counselling. Follow‐up on both arms was at six weeks from baseline assessment. CONDITION: Emotional distress ; Mental and Behavioural Disorders ; Reaction to severe stress, and adjustment disorders PRIMARY OUTCOME: Emotional Symptom Score on SDQ (SDQ‐ES), measured at baseline and six weeks SECONDARY OUTCOME: Measured at baseline and six weeks:; 1. Total Difficulties Score on SDQ (SDQ‐TD); 2. Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ); 3. Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation for Young People (YP‐CORE); 4. Experience of Service Questionnaire (ESQ); 5. Social Inclusion Questionnaire (IQYP); 6. Adapted Change Interview (for clients); 7. Adapted Change Interview (for waitlist) INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Aged 13 to 18 years, either sex 2. Experiencing borderline or abnormally high levels of emotional distress, as indicated by a score of 4 or above on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Emotional Symptoms Subscale at assessment 3. Motivated to attend counselling, as indicated by a response of 'somewhat true' or 'certainly true' on the Anxiety Control Questionnaire (ACQ) at assessment 4. Capable of consenting to participate in research, as indicated by a member of the pastoral care team 5. Greater than 85 per cent attendance at school, as indicated by a member of the pastoral care team