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In this study we assessed the effects of paragraph length on the reading speed and comprehension of students. Students were randomly assigned to one of three groups: short paragraph length (SPL), medium paragraph length (MPL), or long paragraph length (LPL). Students read a 1423 word text on a computer screen formatted to align with their group designation, followed by assessments of content recall, application, and transfer. Results indicate that paragraph length has a significant effect on content application and transfer, but not on content recall. These results are interpreted within the current literature on text comprehension and computer screen eye fatigue.

Aims: This paper reports on a feasibility study of delivering Brief Behavioural Activation in schools, focusing on acceptability, demand, implementation, practicality, adaptation and integration. Rationale: Depression in adolescence is a common and serious mental health problem, with long-term negative impacts on social and academic functioning. In the UK, access to evidence-based psychological treatments is limited and training and employing therapists to deliver these is expensive. Treatments are typically offered in specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHs) following a General Practitioner (GP) referral, yet few depressed young people seek help from their GP or other health professionals. In the UK there are current proposals to significantly increase the role of schools in providing access to mental health treatment for children and young people but currently there is little evidence that this is acceptable, feasible or effective. Behavioural Activation (BA) is an evidence-based treatment for depression in adults. BA has recently been adapted for young people (Brief Behavioural Activation; Brief BA, Pass & Reynolds, 2014). The adaptation is developmentally sensitive, acceptable to parents and young people, links behaviours to values and is highly collaborative. Method: Brief BA was introduced into five schools where feasibility data were collected. Brief BA was delivered by four therapists from differing professional backgrounds and experience. Findings: Initial data suggest that Brief BA is feasible to deliver in schools. Brief BA was integrated successfully with some adaptation, demand was high, and the service was highly acceptable to students, parents and school staff. Conclusions: This study provides early evidence to support the use of Brief BA to treat adolescent depression in schools, with clear learning points for future feasibility evaluation.

Introduction: Anxiety problems are prevalent in childhood and, without intervention, can persist into adulthood. Effective evidence-based interventions for childhood anxiety disorders exist, specifically cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) in a range of formats. However, only a small proportion of children successfully access and receive treatment. Conducting mental health screening in schools and integrating evidence-based interventions for childhood anxiety problems may be an effective way to ensure support reaches children in need. The Identifying Child Anxiety Through Schools-Identification to Intervention (iCATS i2i) trial involves screening for childhood anxiety problems and offering a brief online parent-led CBT intervention. This paper presents the protocol for the process evaluation of the iCATS i2i trial, which aims to examine the implementation and acceptability of the study procedures, the mechanisms of change and whether any external factors had an impact on procedure engagement or delivery., Methods and Analysis: This process evaluation will use both quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate the implementation and acceptability of and barriers/facilitators to engagement and delivery of the iCATS screening/intervention procedures. Quantitative data sources will include opt-out and completion rates of baseline measures and usage analytics extracted from the online intervention platform. Qualitative interviews will be conducted with children, parents, school staff, iCATS i2i clinicians and researchers delivering study procedures. The Medical Research Council framework for process evaluations will guide study design and analysis., Ethics and Dissemination: This study has received ethical approval from the University of Oxford Research Ethics Committee (R66068_RE003). Findings from the study will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications in academic journals, conferences, digital and social media platforms and stakeholder meetings., Trial Registration: ISRCTN76119074., Competing Interests: Competing interests: TF's department receives funds from her advisory role at Place2Be, a third-sector organisation that provides mental health training and support to schools in the UK, and the rest of the authors declare no competing interest., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)