Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a syndrome characterized by symptoms of sadness and anhedonia that last for at least two weeks (APA, 2013). Many people with depression are quite distressed by their symptoms but are nonetheless able to function in daily activities. Others may be impaired to the extent that they are unable to carry out even the simplest tasks of daily living. In some cases, depression is so severe that those afflicted by it kill themselves. Depression is one of the most disabling mental health problems (Eaton, Alexandre, Bienvenu, Clarke, Martins, Nestadt, & Zablotsky, 2012). Based on data from the Epidemiologic Catchment Area study (Eaton, Anthony, Tepper, & Dryman, 1992), depression can occur at any time throughout the
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Indicated interventions target individuals who are identified (i.e., individually screened) as at high-risk, meaning they have minimal but detectable signs or symptoms of a diagnosable disorder (Munoz et al., 1996). Based on the prevention literature, indicated (and selective) interventions that focus on both cognitive-behavioral and problem-solving skills appear to be effective at preventing depressive symptoms in both the short and long-term (Gladstone, 2011). The cognitive component emphasizes that people are depressed because of problematic thoughts, whereas the behavioral component is useful for addressing problematic individual and social behaviors that lead to or sustain depression (Ingram, Williams, Sharp, & Harfmann, 2015). In particular, an intensive indicated intervention program using cognitive-behavioral and problem-solving skills training would involve teaching students about: (1) the interrelatedness of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; (2) cognitive explanatory styles, such as pessimistic; (3) cognitive reframing skills, including how to evaluate inaccurate beliefs and generate alternative interpretations and predictions about negative life events; (4) coping styles; (5) assertiveness; (5) decision-making; and (6) relaxation (Gillham, Reivich, Freres, Chaplin, Shatté et al., 2007). An exemplar of an indicated intervention covering similar topics is the Penn Resiliency Program, a widely evaluated preventive intervention for depression prevention in middle- and high-school-aged youth (Gillham, Reivich, Jaycox et al.,
Indicated interventions target individuals who are identified (i.e., individually screened) as at high-risk, meaning they have minimal but detectable signs or symptoms of a diagnosable disorder (Munoz et al., 1996). Based on the prevention literature, indicated (and selective) interventions that focus on both cognitive-behavioral and problem-solving skills appear to be effective at preventing depressive symptoms in both the short and long-term (Gladstone, 2011). The cognitive component emphasizes that people are depressed because of problematic thoughts, whereas the behavioral component is useful for addressing problematic individual and social behaviors that lead to or sustain depression (Ingram, Williams, Sharp, & Harfmann, 2015). In particular, an intensive indicated intervention program using cognitive-behavioral and problem-solving skills training would involve teaching students about: (1) the interrelatedness of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; (2) cognitive explanatory styles, such as pessimistic; (3) cognitive reframing skills, including how to evaluate inaccurate beliefs and generate alternative interpretations and predictions about negative life events; (4) coping styles; (5) assertiveness; (5) decision-making; and (6) relaxation (Gillham, Reivich, Freres, Chaplin, Shatté et al., 2007). An exemplar of an indicated intervention covering similar topics is the Penn Resiliency Program, a widely evaluated preventive intervention for depression prevention in middle- and high-school-aged youth (Gillham, Reivich, Jaycox et al.,