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Systematic review of school-based prevention and early intervention programs for depression
Alison L Calear1, Helen Christensen
1Centre for Mental Health Research, Building 63, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia. Alison.Calear@anu.edu.au
Journal of Adolescence
|August 4, 2009
Summary
School-based programs targeting depressed students show effectiveness in reducing symptoms. Indicated interventions, often using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), yield the best results, though teacher-led programs need more research.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Public Health Interventions
Background:
- Depression is a significant concern in school-aged populations.
- Effective school-based interventions are crucial for early detection and management.
- Existing research needs synthesis to guide best practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review school-based depression prevention and early intervention programs.
- To describe the characteristics of these programs.
- To evaluate their effectiveness in reducing depressive symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of 42 randomized controlled trials.
- Searches conducted in Cochrane Library, PsycInfo, and PubMed.
- Analysis of 28 distinct school-based programs.
Main Results:
- Most programs utilized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) over 8-12 sessions.
- Indicated programs targeting students with elevated depression were most effective (effect sizes 0.21-1.40).
- Teacher-led programs and attention controls showed fewer significant effects.
Conclusions:
- School-based interventions, particularly indicated CBT programs, can effectively reduce depressive symptoms.
- Further research should focus on attention controls, long-term follow-up, and sustainable teacher-led programs.
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