Thoughts and Health - Preventing Depression in Adolescents

Clinical depression is a crucial problem among adolescents. In eighth grade more than half of all students experience headaches, stomach pain, stress, feeling down, and difficulties sleeping. Adolescents affected by depression at a young age are at greater risk of experiencing depressive symptoms as adults, with serious impacts on their quality of life and ability to work. Recent reports from the National Board of Health and Welfare have shown that depression is increasing among adolescents and there is now focus on implementing practice-oriented preventative programs for youth.

Studies by members of our research team have shown that a cognitive-behavioral, developmentally-based intervention program, called "Thoughts and Health", prevented initial episodes of depression and/or dysthymia in adolescents for up to 12 months after program completion.

This study aims to test the feasibility of implementing that program in a Swedish school setting, while also collecting and analyzing preliminary results regarding the potential impact of the program on number of students developing depressive symptoms and the number passing junior high school with full grades.

This is an intervention study with a control group. Students from two Swedish junior high schools will be identified as "at-risk" and invited to participate in the program (n=40), while students from two other schools will act as controls (n=40). All participating students will be followed from study start (baseline) and 1, 6, 12, and 18 months after program completion. Results will include quantitative clinical measures, qualitative focus group discussions, and students' final grades. Two courses of the program will be run over two school years. This study involves close collaboration between academia, primary care, and the community.

This is to our knowledge the first study in Sweden that employs a longitudinal design to evaluate the effects of a school program aimed at preventing depression in adolescents.

Inclusion criteria

• Eight grader (school)
• Completed Childrens Depression Inventory (CDI) screening
• Able to understand Swedish both orally and written to a level that he/she can complete forms and questionnaires by themselves

Exclusion criteria

• Current or past depression
• Unable to function in a group session
• Current psychotherapeutic treatment
• Past or current suicidal thoughts or attempts