Efficacy of humanistic counselling in schools for emotional wellbeing

INTERVENTION: Counselling: Young people will be offered weekly counselling for up to one school term. The nature of the counselling is therapeutic rather than advice‐ or career‐orientated, and is 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 are BACP accredited practitioners or equivalent, working within a set of professional ethical guidelines for counselling and psychotherapy. They have experience of working in humanistic ways with young people. A selection of session recordings will be audited by the research team to monitor adherence to humanistic psychological therapy competences. Waiting list: Young people allocated to the control condition will not be offered any formal counselling intervention for the school term. However, they will be informed that they can access the school's full pastoral care provision at any point during the trial. At the endpoint assessment, participants in the waiting list condition will be offered the option of direct entry to counselling in the following school term. Follow‐up assessments on both arms will be in the middle of the school term (approximately 5 ‐ 6 weeks after baseline assessment) and at the end of the school term (approximately 10 ‐ 12 weeks after baseline assessment). CONDITION: Emotional wellbeing ; Mental and Behavioural Disorders ; Emotional wellbeing PRIMARY OUTCOME: Current information as of 23/03/2010:; Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation for Young People (YP‐CORE), measured at baseline, midpoint and endpoint.; ; Initial information at time of registration:; Emotional Symptom Score on SDQ (SDQ‐ES), measured at baseline, midpoint and endpoint. SECONDARY OUTCOME: Amendments as of 23/03/2010:; As of the above date, point 2 of the secondary outcomes measures has been changed to the following (all timepoints remain the same):; 2. Emotional Symptom Score on SDQ (SDQ‐ES); ; Initial information at time of registration:; Measured at baseline, midpoint and endpoint: ; 1. Total Difficulties Score on SDQ (SDQ‐TD) ; 2. Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation for Young People (YP‐CORE) ; 3. Self‐Esteem (SEQ); 4. Experience of Service Questionnaire (ESQ) ; 5. Self‐rated change (goal‐based outcomes); 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 5 or above on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Emotional Symptoms Subscale at assessment 3. Motivated to attend counselling, as indicated 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