Canadian social validity evaluation of the FRIENDS school-based universal anxiety prevention program

Increased attention to the construct of social validity in school psychology practice has resulted in a focus on social perceptions of treatment acceptability, which can be conceptualized as the extent to which interventions are considered appropriate, effective, and fair by program consumers and other stakeholders. A crucial issue related to the functional utility of any program is the extent to which consumers regard that program as understandable, helpful, and engaging. As a component of a comprehensive program evaluation the current study sought to examine the social acceptability of the Australian FRIENDS for Children group cognitive behavioral anxiety prevention program, from the perspective of grade 4 students in a suburban school of a large prairie city. The FRIENDS Cognitive Behavioural anxiety prevention program, which involves instruction on cognitive, physiological, and behavioural coping strategies within a group context, was implemented in one regular elementary school classroom (grade 4) in one hour weekly sessions for 10 weeks. A school guidance counsellor, trained in the delivery of the FRIENDS program, facilitated the weekly sessions during normal class times. Participants (n = 28) were surveyed weekly on their perceptions of the understandability, utility, and enjoyability of program treatment components. In addition, students' perceptions regarding the utility and enjoyability of the program were surveyed upon completion of the program, as was their global comfort with the treatment. Overall, results indicate that students understood the content of the program as intended, perceived the skills taught to be helpful to them in their real lives, and felt that engaging in the program was a gratifying experience. As predicted significant gender differences were found, with female participants reporting the FRIENDS program to be more enjoyable and helpful to them than did male participants. Qualitative information obtained from program participants was discussed, as were ways to inform clinical practices.