Background: Adolescent mental health is a significant public health concern; 33% of adolescents experience anxiety disorders and 42% report depression symptoms, but only 60.2% of affected youth receive treatment (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022; Maternal & Child Health Bureau, 2020; Merikangas et al., 2010). These challenges disrupt academic achievement and strain school counselors, who frequently serve as the sole mental health professional in their buildings. Small-group interventions grounded in positive psychology offer an efficient, developmentally responsive approach to improving student well-being (Tejada-Gallardo et al., 2020). Objectives: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a brief positive psychology intervention (PPI) on secondary student well-being, mental health, and behavioral outcomes. Research Questions/Hypotheses: What are the effects of a brief, small-group PPI on well-being and behavioral outcomes among secondary students beyond baseline? We hypothesized that participants would show reductions in anxiety, stress, and depression, increases in overall well-being, and fewer discipline referrals. Methods: Twenty-four high school students participated in a 6-week small-group intervention. A multiple-baseline single-case research design (SCRD) was employed, with full analysis completed for 14 participants. Data were collected using the WHO-5, DASS-Y, and school discipline records. Results and Conclusions: The intervention produced the strongest effects for anxiety, with 78% of participants showing clinically meaningful reductions and 75% of students with prior discipline referrals reducing behavioral outcomes. Improvements in depression, stress, and overall well-being were modest. Despite a small, heterogeneous sample, the SCRD supports a functional relationship between the intervention and outcomes, providing evidence that PPIs can be effectively delivered to improve student well-being.
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