Effects of a brief CBT-based anxiety toolbox workshop on study skills, and emotional regulation among high school students in Kosovo: a pilot study

Anxiety, poor study skills, and inadequate emotion regulation affect students’ performance and well-being. Research on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions has demonstrated their effectiveness on reducing anxiety; yet, it overlooks study skills and emotional regulation strategies. This study evaluated the impact of a brief, skills-based CBT-based Anxiety Toolbox workshop on study skills and emotional regulation among high school students in Kosovo. Using a pre-test-post-test control group design, 100 participants from four high schools were assigned to control or intervention groups. Data were collected through validated instruments. The results showed that the intervention group students significantly improved in cognitive reappraisal, time management, concentration, study aids, test strategies/test anxiety, information processing, and motivation compared to the control group. These findings suggest that brief CBT-based interventions may have potential for enhancing students’ study skills and the use of adaptive emotional regulation strategies.