Feasibility of a Social Worker–Teacher Model for Chinese Children with Anxiety Symptoms

Abstract

Purpose: This pilot study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a collaborative social worker–teacher model for delivering group cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety (GCBT-A) in school settings. Method: Forty-six children (ages 9–11) were randomly allocated to an 8-week GCBT-A or treatment as usual (TAU). Teachers delivered GCBT-A under social worker supervision. Feasibility was assessed through attendance, satisfaction, and fidelity measures. Effectiveness was evaluated using anxiety, depression, and externalizing problem scales. Results: High feasibility was demonstrated with 96.87% attendance, 0% attrition, and high fidelity (0.78–1.00). GCBT-A showed significantly greater improvements than TAU on anxiety, with Cohen's d of −0.66 for Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) and −0.56 for SCARED, depression (d = −0.66), and externalizing problems (d = −0.56). Qualitative findings indicated high participant satisfaction and perceived benefits from the intervention. Conclusions: The collaborative model is feasible and acceptable with preliminary effectiveness evidence. Larger trials are needed to assess long-term outcomes and scalability in Chinese school settings.

The study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR 2300076460), https://www.chictr.org.cn/.