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AI-Enhanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Social Work Group Activities for Adolescent Anxiety: Program Design and Effectiveness Research

Author(s)

Ting Chen, Xiaochun Chen*

Affiliation(s)

School of Political Science and Law, Hanshan Normal University, Chaozhou, Guangdong, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

Adolescent anxiety is becoming increasingly severe, with traditional interventions suffering from limitations such as a single perspective, insufficient technological integration, and weak program operability. This study employs Ecological Systems Theory as an analytical framework, integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), the ADDIE instructional design model, and AI-enhanced technology. A six-session, progressive social work group intervention program was designed and implemented for 32 ninth-grade students experiencing anxiety at DF Middle School in City C. Using semi-structured interviews, participatory observation, and pre- and post-intervention assessments with the GAD-7 scale, the results show that adolescent anxiety arises from the interaction of multiple systems—micro, meso, exo, and macro—with individual cognitive biases and weak emotional abilities serving as core triggers. Following the intervention, the mean anxiety score of participants decreased from 8.50 to 2.75, with all participants transitioning from mild anxiety to normal levels, of which 87.5% returned to the normal range. Significant improvements were also observed in emotion management, communication expression, and social adaptation skills. The study demonstrates that a social work intervention program deeply integrating AI empowerment with CBT and the ADDIE model is systematic and operable, effectively alleviating adolescent anxiety. AI technology enhances service precision and engagement. Future efforts should focus on building multi-stakeholder collaborative support networks to achieve long-term intervention effects.

Keywords

AI Empowerment; Adolescent Anxiety; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; ADDIE Model; Social Work Group Intervention

References

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