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Research Review: Can we justify the widespread dissemination of universal, school‐based interventions for the prevention of depression among children and adolescents?
Author(s) -
Spence Susan H,
Shortt Alison L.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2007.01738.x
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , psychology , depression (economics) , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , macroeconomics , economics
This review examines the evidence concerning the efficacy and effectiveness of universal, school‐based interventions designed to prevent the development of depression in children and adolescents. It evaluates the outcomes of research in relation to standards of evidence specified by the Society for Prevention Research (Flay et al., 2005). The limited evidence available brings into doubt the efficacy and effectiveness of current universal, school‐based approaches to the prevention of depression, suggesting that the widespread dissemination of such interventions would be premature. Relatively brief programs, that focus specifically on enhancing individual skills and characteristics of the individual in the absence of environmental change, may be insufficient to produce lasting effects in the prevention of depression among children and adolescents.