Preventing depression and promoting resilience: feasibility study of a school-based cognitive-behavioural intervention

Background The limited reach and effectiveness of psychological treatments for adolescent depression have fuelled interest in alternative approaches designed to promote resilience. Schools offer a convenient location for the widespread delivery of depression prevention programmes, although little research has evaluated the feasibility of delivering interventions in this setting. Aims To investigate the feasibility of delivering and evaluating a universal school-based depression prevention programme for children aged 12-16 years. Method A three-arm pilot study was conducted in one UK secondary SChOOl (n = 834). Results Interventions had good reach (96%), with high rates of consent (89%) and reasonable retention (78%). The majority of intervention sessions were delivered as intended, with 85% of students attending seven or more sessions. The programme was acceptable to students and teachers, with the specific content of the active intervention being rated differently from the control programmes. Conclusions Delivering and undertaking methodologically robust evaluations of universal school-based depression programmes is feasible.

[1]  C. Hunt,et al.  Preventing Adolescent Depression in Mauritius: A Universal School-Based Program. , 2011, Child and adolescent mental health.

[2]  Anne West,et al.  UK resilience programme evaluation: final report , 2011 .

[3]  R. Araya,et al.  Protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a school based cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) intervention to prevent depression in high risk adolescents (PROMISE) , 2010, Trials.

[4]  N. Humphrey,et al.  Social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) programme in secondary schools: national evaluation , 2010 .

[5]  Helen Christensen,et al.  Systematic review of school-based prevention and early intervention programs for depression. , 2010, Journal of adolescence.

[6]  G. Patton,et al.  School-based prevention of depression: a randomised controlled study of the beyondblue schools research initiative. , 2010, Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines.

[7]  B. Vitiello,et al.  Clinical messages from the Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS). , 2009, The American journal of psychiatry.

[8]  B. Leventhal,et al.  The Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS): outcomes over 1 year of naturalistic follow-up. , 2009, The American journal of psychiatry.

[9]  A. Challen.  UK Resilience Programme evaluation : interim report , 2009 .

[10]  J. Stockman.  Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and routine specialist care with and without cognitive behaviour therapy in adolescents with major depression: randomised controlled trial , 2009 .

[11]  Kaleab Z. Abebe,et al.  Switching to another SSRI or to venlafaxine with or without cognitive behavioral therapy for adolescents with SSRI-resistant depression: the TORDIA randomized controlled trial. , 2008, JAMA.

[12]  H. Meltzer,et al.  Predictors of Service Use for Mental Health Problems Among British Schoolchildren. , 2008, Child and adolescent mental health.

[13]  Amelia K. Searle,et al.  Identifying and implementing prevention programmes for childhood mental health problems , 2007, Journal of paediatrics and child health.

[14]  Families..  Department for Children, Schools and Families , 2007 .

[15]  S. Spence,et al.  Research Review: Can we justify the widespread dissemination of universal, school-based interventions for the prevention of depression among children and adolescents? , 2007, Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines.

[16]  Alaattin Erkanli,et al.  Is there an epidemic of child or adolescent depression? , 2006, Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines.

[17]  Jason L. Horowitz,et al.  The prevention of depressive symptoms in children and adolescents: A meta-analytic review. , 2006, Journal of consulting and clinical psychology.

[18]  I. Shochet,et al.  Universal School-based Approaches to Preventing Adolescent Depression: Past Findings and Future Directions of the Resourceful Adolescent Program , 2004 .

[19]  Skills.  Primary National Strategy , 2004 .

[20]  C. Wild,et al.  A randomized placebo-controlled trial of a school-based depression prevention program. , 2004, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

[21]  C. Nemeroff,et al.  Depression and bipolar support alliance consensus statement on the unmet needs in diagnosis and treatment of mood disorders in children and adolescents. , 2003, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

[22]  A. Caspi,et al.  Prior juvenile diagnoses in adults with mental disorder: developmental follow-back of a prospective-longitudinal cohort. , 2003, Archives of general psychiatry.

[23]  David Shaffer,et al.  Youth suicide risk and preventive interventions: a review of the past 10 years. , 2003, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

[24]  M. Dadds,et al.  The Efficacy of a Universal School-Based Program to Prevent Adolescent Depression , 2001, Journal of clinical child psychology.

[25]  I. Gotlib,et al.  Natural course of adolescent major depressive disorder in a community sample: predictors of recurrence in young adults. , 2000, The American journal of psychiatry.

[26]  P. Lewinsohn,et al.  Major depressive disorder in older adolescents: prevalence, risk factors, and clinical implications. , 1998, Clinical psychology review.

[27]  R. Dahl,et al.  Childhood and adolescent depression: a review of the past 10 years. Part I. , 1996, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

[28]  M. Kovács.  Presentation and course of major depressive disorder during childhood and later years of the life span. , 1996, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

[29]  Adrian Angold,et al.  Development of a Short Questionnaire for Use in Epidemiological Studies of Depression in Children and Adolescents: Factor Composition and Structure Across Development. , 1995 .