https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6500-6513
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ABSTRACT
Mental health of undergraduate students is receiving more attention because of the increase in the prevalence and intensity of psychological distress. Our aim is to verify the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioural counselling service in reducing psychological distress and improving academic self-efficacy in a sample of 124 students (57% above the clinical cut-off) using a pre-post assessment design. Data show a significant reduction of distress and symptoms scores among students who completed the intervention and half of them had a reliable change. Preliminary data also show a significant improvement in academic self-efficacy. University counselling services represent common first-line services for students and are effective in treating psychological distress in a wide range of clinical and sub-clinical situations.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Marco Bani
Marco Bani is a researcher in Clinical Psychology at the University of Milano - Bicocca, Italy. His primary research interests include counselling interventions and health psychology.
Federico Zorzi
Federico Zorzi is a researcher in Clinical Psychology at the University of Sassari, Italy. His primary research interests include emotion regulation and outcome evaluation.
Deborah Corrias
Deborah Corrias is a psychologist, psychotherapist and PhD student at the University of Milano - Bicocca, Italy. Her primary research interests include eating disorders and medical communication.
Mariagrazia Strepparava
Maria Grazia Strepparava is Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at University of Milano - Bicocca, Italy. Her leading research interests include cognitive counselling interventions and health psychology.