Improving mental health status and coping abilities for long-term unemployed youth using cognitive-behaviour therapy based training interventions

This paper reports on immediate and long-term well-being outcomes for a group of long-term unemployed youth who attended specially devised training courses based on the cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) model. The courses were aimed specifically at improving the mental health of participants, and providing them with coping skills to deal better with the negative consequences of prolonged unemployment. Results for participants were compared with a waiting-list, control group. Outcomes investigated were well-being (psychological distress, self-esteem, positive and negative affect), and coping behaviours (social support, self care, recreation, and cognitive coping strategies). Behavioural plasticity effects were also examined by comparing outcomes for participants who had higher distress scores prior to the course with participants who reported lower scores at that time. Immediate benefits were identified for both mental health and coping behaviours, and many of these benefits persisted into the long term. Participants with higher levels of pre-course psychological distress improved more than their low distressed counterparts, supporting the behavioural plasticity hypothesis