title: A qualitative investigation of adolescents' perceived mechanisms of change from a universal school-based depression prevention program.
abstract: A recent meta-analysis provides evidence supporting the universal application of school-based prevention programs for adolescent depression. The mechanisms underlying such successful interventions, however, are largely unknown. We report on a qualitative analysis of 109 Grade 9 students' beliefs about what they gained from an evidence-based depression prevention intervention, the Resourceful Adolescent Program (RAP-A). Fifty-four percent of interviewees articulated at least one specific example of program benefit. A thematic analysis of responses revealed two major themes, improved interpersonal relationships and improved self-regulation, both stronger than originally assumed. A more minor theme also emerged-more helpful cognitions. It is postulated that both improved interpersonal relationships and improved self-regulation are likely to enhance one another, and more helpful cognitions may express its contribution through enhanced self-regulation. These findings broaden our understanding of the impact of depression prevention programs, beginning to illuminate how such programs benefit participants.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4059, Australia. i.shochet@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shochet
authors.affiliation: New South Wales Institute of Psychiatry, Sydney 2145, Australia. ros.montague@nswiop.nsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Roslyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Montague
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4059, Australia. coral.smith@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Coral
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia. m.dadds@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dadds
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D010465:Perception; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000592:standards; D013334:Students