TY - JOUR
T1 - Depression knowledge in high school students
T2 - Effectiveness of the adolescent depression awareness program
AU - Ruble, Anne E.
AU - Leon, Phillip J.
AU - Gilley-Hensley, Laura
AU - Hess, Sally G.
AU - Swartz, Karen L.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding for this study was provided by the Youth Philanthropy Initiative of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation; the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Foundation had no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; and in the decision to submit the paper for publication.
PY - 2013/9/25
Y1 - 2013/9/25
N2 - 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. Limitations: 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.
AB - 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. Limitations: 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.
KW - Adolescent depression
KW - Depression education
KW - School-based interventions
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jad.2013.05.033
DO - 10.1016/j.jad.2013.05.033
M3 - Article
C2 - 23790814
AN - SCOPUS:84888367125
VL - 150
SP - 1025
EP - 1030
JO - Journal of Affective Disorders
JF - Journal of Affective Disorders
SN - 0165-0327
IS - 3
ER -