SASS (Skills for Academic & Social Success)

https://www.childtrends.org/programs/skills-for-academic-and-social-success

Initiative Description: School-based, 12-week group intervention for youth with Social anxiety: Skills for Academic and Social Success (SASS). 11th graders were assigned to one of three conditions: (a) SASS delivered by school counselors (C-SASS), (b) SASS delivered by psychologists (P-SASS), or (c) a control condition, Skills for Life (SFL). Group sessions cover 5 components: psychoeducation, realistic thinking, social skills training, exposure, and relapse prevention.

Study Results: Adolescents treated with C-SASS or P-SASS experienced significantly greater improvement and reductions of anxiety at the end of treatment and follow-up. There were no significant differences between SASS delivered by school counselors and psychologists.

Reference: Warner, C. M., Colognori, D., Brice, C., Herzig, K., Mufson, L., Lynch, C.,…& Klein, R. G. (2016). Can school counselors deliver cognitive-behavioral treatment for social anxiety effectively? A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 57(11), 1229-1238.

Level of Evidence: Very Good