Background:
Questions remained about which specific components of Shamiri drove its effectiveness—was itgrowth mindset, gratitude, values, or their combination? The COVID-19 pandemic also raised concerns aboutwhether brief interventions would work during increased stress. This study examined Shamiri's components andtested the intervention during the pandemic.
Methods:
2,086 students from 68 Kenyan secondary schools participated during the COVID-19 pandemic.Schools were randomly assigned to one of five conditions: full Shamiri (all components), growth mindset only,gratitude only, values only, or study skills control. All interventions were delivered in 4 weekly sessions.Depression, anxiety, and wellbeing were measured before, immediately after, and 2 weeks following theinterventions.
Findings:
All four Shamiri conditions (full and components) produced greater improvements in depression andwellbeing compared to control, with effects maintained at follow-up. For anxiety, the full Shamiri interventionwas most effective. Individual components worked, but the complete program showed the strongest overalleffects.
Implications:
Shamiri's combination of components produces the best outcomes, though individual elementsalso show benefits. The intervention remained effective even during the heightened stress of a pandemic,demonstrating robustness across contexts. Schools can choose whether to implement the full program or selectcomponents based on their needs and resources.
