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Exploring the Effectiveness of the FRIENDS Program in Reducing Anxiety Symptoms Among South African Children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 February 2012

Jemona Mostert  and
Helene Loxton
Jemona Mostert
Affiliation:
Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
Helene Loxton*
Affiliation:
Stellenbosch University, South Africa. hsl@sun.ac.za
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr Helene Loxton, Department of Psychology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
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Abstract

The prevalence of anxiety symptoms among South African children is reported to be significantly higher than in other parts of the world. The need for an effective anxiety prevention and early intervention program for use with South African children is urgently needed. The aim of the present study was therefore to determine whether the Australian FRIENDS program could effectively reduce the anxiety symptoms, as measured by the Spence Children's Anxiety scale (SCAS), among a sample of South African children from low socioeconomic background. The program evaluation employed a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group design that followed participants (N = 46) over a course of 10 months. Within group effects and between group effects revealed that the FRIENDS program had little statistically significant postintervention effect on the anxiety symptoms of this sample, but had significant effects in the longer term, at 4 months and 6 months follow-up. The implications of these results for the South African context are discussed.

Keywords

anxietypreventionprogram evaluationSouth African children
Type
Standard Papers
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 25 , Issue 2 , 01 June 2008 , pp. 85 - 96
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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