Therapeutic outcomes in the Welsh Government's school-based counselling strategy: An evaluation

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of school-based counselling, as delivered in the Welsh Government’s School-based Counselling Strategy, for reducing psychological distress in young people aged 11-18. Method: The study used a quantitative cohort design, comparing levels of distress on either the Young Person’s CORE (YP-CORE) or the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) from baseline to endpoint. Data were available on 3613 episodes of counselling, across 42 datasets. Meta-analytical procedures were used to identify the mean effect size and predictors of outcomes. Results: Within each dataset, counselling was associated with significant reductions in psychological distress, with a mean effect size (d) of 0.93(95% CI - 0.89 - 0.97) using a fixed effects model and 1.09 (95% CI - 0.97 - 1.22) using a random effects model. Datasets using the YP-CORE had larger effect sizes than those using the SDQ, and datasets with more complete response rates had lower outcomes than those with poorer response rates. Conclusion: The results confirm that school-based counselling, as delivered in the UK, is associated with significant reductions in psychological distress, comparable to adult counselling and psychotherapy services.