title: Depression knowledge in high school students: effectiveness of the adolescent depression awareness program.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Major depression is a common disorder among teenagers and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15-24 year olds. Early identification and treatment is essential to prevent suicide. Depression education is a potential intervention for improving knowledge about depression and help-seeking behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Adolescent Depression Awareness Program (ADAP) is a school-based depression education intervention with a core message that depression is a treatable medical illness. 710 high school students from six schools in Tulsa, OK participated in the study comparing changes in knowledge about depression and attitudes toward treatment-seeking between students receiving the intervention and those who did not. Changes in depression knowledge and attitude toward help-seeking were measured using the ADAP Depression Knowledge Questionnaire (ADKQ).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant positive change in ADKQ score for students receiving the intervention but not in the control group. The intervention group also demonstrated a significant difference in willingness to "tell someone" if concerned about depression in a peer, which was not present in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The students were not randomized to the intervention and control groups. The ADKQ evaluates attitudes about help-seeking but not behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A school-based educational intervention improved knowledge about depression and attitudes toward help-seeking in adolescents. Future studies should investigate if such change in knowledge results in help-seeking behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
authors.forename: Anne E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ruble
authors.forename: Phillip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Leon
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gilley-Hensley
authors.forename: Sally G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Swartz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D001364:Awareness; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
keywords: Adolescent depression; Depression education; School-based interventions