Preventing adolescent depression: An evaluation of the Problem Solving For Life program.

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Problem Solving For Life program as a universal approach to the prevention of adolescent depression. Short-term results indicated that participants with initially elevated depressions scores (high risk) who received the intervention showed a significantly greater decrease in depressive symptoms and increase in life problem-solving scores from pre-to postintervention compared with a high-risk control group. Low-risk participants who received the intervention reported a small but significant decrease in depression scores over the intervention period, whereas the low-risk controls reported an increase in depression scores. The low-risk group reported a significantly greater increase in problem-solving scores over the intervention period compared with low-risk controls. These results were not maintained, however, at 12-month follow-up.

Experimental test of the affect‐regulation theory of bulimic symptoms and substance use: A randomized trial

“…Other adolescent depression prevention programs have reported lower baseline mean BDI scores (17-18.4) among ''high-risk'' participants (e.g. 59,60 ), although our mean values are closer to those observed in many controlled bulimia treatment studies, with mean BDI scores in the range of 22.9-25.5. [61][62][63] It is likely that the higher mean BDI values observed for the present sample occurred because we did not use diagnostic interviews to exclude participants with current major depression at baseline, which was the approach taken in most prior depression prevention trials.…”

Prevention of depression in youth: A qualitative review and future suggestions

“…However, at 12-month follow-up no significant differences on depressive symptoms or diagnoses were found between intervention and no intervention conditions (Spence et al, 2003). Spence et al (2005) extended these results and reported that across 2, 3, and 4-year follow-up, intervention group was not a significant predictor of changes in depressive symptoms, attributional style, social functioning, or problem solving skills.…”

“…The programs do appear to diverge in their foci. Clark et al's Coping with Stress intervention focuses exclusively on cognitive restructuring, whereas the interventions used by Spence and colleagues focus on problem solving skills (Spence et al 2003) and also interpersonal skills (Sheffield et al, 2006). It may be that the problem solving skills focused on in PSFL are not prophylactic and dilute the program's focus on cognitive skills, which may be more effective.…”

“…Also, further study is needed on the ideal timing of booster sessions (Gillham et al, 2000) and how to administer these sessions (e.g., single sessions periodically spaced out versus multiple sessions in close temporal proximity). Further, whereas booster sessions have not consistently resulted in sustained prevention effects (e.g., Barrett et al, 2006;Spence et al, 2003Spence et al, ,2005, longitudinal studies that compare an intervention with booster sessions to an intervention without booster sessions would help clarify their impact.…”

Psychopathology in children: Improvement of quality of life without psychiatric symptom reduction?

“…Furthermore, treatment outcome studies in children and adolescents revealed that interventions may result in complete reduction of psychiatric symptoms in a number of patients, but, often, recovery is partial, or even absent [2,18,24,29]. Hence, it might be worthwhile also focussing on minimizing the impact of symptoms on the child's functioning and on improving the child's quality of everyday life [22].…”