Psychotherapy Effectiveness in Urban Youth with Anxiety Disorders in Accra, Ghana: A Meta-Analysis of Twelve Months' Interventions

Urban youth in Accra, Ghana face significant mental health challenges, including anxiety disorders. Effective interventions are scarce and diverse, necessitating a comprehensive review of existing psychotherapy-based treatments. A systematic search was conducted to identify relevant studies. Data extraction and analysis were performed using standardised procedures. Effect sizes were calculated and pooled using a random-effects model. The meta-analysis identified a moderate effect size (Hedges' g = 0.52, 95% CI [0.34, 0.71]) for psychotherapy interventions on reducing anxiety symptoms in youth over the twelve-month follow-up period. Psychotherapy appears to be effective in mitigating anxiety disorders among urban youth in Accra, with a significant reduction observed after twelve months of intervention. Future research should focus on developing and evaluating standardised psychotherapeutic protocols tailored specifically for the Ghanaian context.