Evaluation of a School-Based Program Aimed at Preventing Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents

Abstract

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the implementation of a universal school-based cognitive behavioral program whose target is to prevent depressive symptoms in adolescents. The study had a quasi-experimental design with pretest, posttest, and a 1-year follow-up and provides an illustrative calculation for the implementation costs of the intervention. Sixty-two students (aged 14) and seven tutors participated. A majority of the students and all of the tutors were satisfied with the intervention. The students, both females and males, rated their depressed symptoms as significantly lower after the course; and for the females, this was maintained 1-year postintervention. The implementation costs for the initial 2 years were about US$300 per student. Positive effects of a universal school-based cognitive behavioral intervention aiming at preventing depressive symptoms in adolescents were found, especially among females.

A non-randomised pragmatic trial of a school-based group cognitive-behavioural programme for preventing depression in girls

“…Contrary to previous research on the DISA programme [22] and its American forerunner, the CWS [17], as well as to that of other trials of cognitive-behavioural programmes [10,11,40], we could not show that DISA had an effect on depressive symptoms. This may be due to the fact that, in the current sample, intervention participants had elevated levels of depressive symptoms (> 16) [27] at baseline which the pupils in, for example, Garmy et al .…”

“…This may be due to the fact that, in the current sample, intervention participants had elevated levels of depressive symptoms (> 16) [27] at baseline which the pupils in, for example, Garmy et al . [22] had not. Also, in their study, all pupils in eighth grade were invited to participate, i.e.…”

“…The effects on depressive symptoms of the DISA programme have only been evaluated scientifically in one study, with no control group [22]. In that study, DISA was implemented as a universal intervention to all pupils, girls as well as boys, in grade 8 (~14 years old) from a school located in an area with high mean income.…”

“…Garmy et al . [22] report a reduction in mean and median scoring of depressive symptoms in girls at post-intervention and at 12-months follow-up, while in boys there was a decrease in symptoms at post-intervention only. However, as the authors point out, the lack of a control group in their study limits the conclusions that can be drawn regarding the effectiveness of the DISA programme.…”

“…Furthermore, Garmy et al . [22] did not account for socioeconomic or psychosocial environmental factors. Also, the analyses were split by gender, which rendered low power, which further calls for caution regarding the results of their study.…”