title: Development of a school-based program for adolescents at-risk for depression in India: results from a pilot study.
abstract: A majority of adolescents in India, who are at risk for depression, do not receive treatment or receive it when the psychopathology has become entrenched and chronic. The present pilot study was an endeavor to assess the felt needs of adolescents vis-à-vis the difficulties and stressors experienced by them. For this purpose, 300 students across three schools were screened using standardized measures. Another objective of the study was to develop and test a school-based Coping Skills Program to address adolescents at-risk for depression. Schools were sequentially assigned to intervention or control conditions; students of index (n=13) and control (n=6) groups were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 months follow-up. At post-intervention for the index group, all outcomes measures except coping skills-including depressive symptoms, negative cognitions, academic stress, and social problem-solving-showed change in the expected direction, this difference assuming significance at follow-up. The program was rated positively by students using anonymous feedback and there was low to nil perceived stigmatization. Results are discussed in the context of need for such intervention programs in India, and future scope of research involving larger samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, 3rd floor, M.V. Govindaswamy Centre, National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Hosur Road, Bangalore 560029, India. Electronic address: meghnasinghal3@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Meghna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singhal
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, 3rd floor, M.V. Govindaswamy Centre, National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Hosur Road, Bangalore 560029, India. Electronic address: drmanjula71@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manjula
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Hosur Road, Bangalore 560029, India. Electronic address: sagarjohn@gmail.com.
authors.forename: K John
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Vijay Sagar
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012574:Schools; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adolescents; Depression; Indicated program; School-based intervention