Project Title
Anxiety Among Adolescent Population: An Application of the Social Cognitive Theory
Faculty Mentor(s) Name(s)
John Moore
Abstract
Background: Globally, one out of seven adolescents aged (10-19) are diagnosed with a mental disorder. Anxiety is one of the leading causes of mental illness among adolescents. The adolescent population are more vulnerable to stigma, social exclusion, and educational difficulties. With this program we hope to educate adolescents on stress relief practices, time management techniques, and coping strategies. Purpose: To examine studies that use the Social Cognitive Theory to study anxiety among adolescents to determine the best evidence-based practices and recommendations for future studies that aim to help deal with the current trends in adolescent mental health. Methods: Articles used were obtained from Galileo and Google Scholar. In this process a logic model was used to align theory with practical application. Keywords used to determine research articles were mental health, statistics, adolescents, and descriptive qualitative research design. Results (Practical Applications): Literature confirms that the social cognitive theory is useful in addressing mental health among adolescents. Constructs of the SCT that were found to be the most influential included environmental, emotional coping responses, self-efficacy, situation, reinforcements, and reciprocal determinism. From reviewed literature all the constructs mentioned above prove to be influential in assessing anxiety. Implications: Since the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health disorders, adolescents were not able to physically see one another, there were students who did not have access to internet services and that presented periods of social isolation for them that made it hard to bounce back. Activities that would align with this topic include teen focus groups, parent and teen one on one sessions with a counselor or therapist, teen therapy sessions, or even an afterschool space where teens can come and just relax, rest, and reset. The space could include meditation exercises, yoga, and other activities that give students an outlet to express their feelings.
Anxiety Among Adolescent Population: An Application of the Social Cognitive Theory
Background: Globally, one out of seven adolescents aged (10-19) are diagnosed with a mental disorder. Anxiety is one of the leading causes of mental illness among adolescents. The adolescent population are more vulnerable to stigma, social exclusion, and educational difficulties. With this program we hope to educate adolescents on stress relief practices, time management techniques, and coping strategies. Purpose: To examine studies that use the Social Cognitive Theory to study anxiety among adolescents to determine the best evidence-based practices and recommendations for future studies that aim to help deal with the current trends in adolescent mental health. Methods: Articles used were obtained from Galileo and Google Scholar. In this process a logic model was used to align theory with practical application. Keywords used to determine research articles were mental health, statistics, adolescents, and descriptive qualitative research design. Results (Practical Applications): Literature confirms that the social cognitive theory is useful in addressing mental health among adolescents. Constructs of the SCT that were found to be the most influential included environmental, emotional coping responses, self-efficacy, situation, reinforcements, and reciprocal determinism. From reviewed literature all the constructs mentioned above prove to be influential in assessing anxiety. Implications: Since the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health disorders, adolescents were not able to physically see one another, there were students who did not have access to internet services and that presented periods of social isolation for them that made it hard to bounce back. Activities that would align with this topic include teen focus groups, parent and teen one on one sessions with a counselor or therapist, teen therapy sessions, or even an afterschool space where teens can come and just relax, rest, and reset. The space could include meditation exercises, yoga, and other activities that give students an outlet to express their feelings.