Prevention of depressive symptoms in adolescents : issues of dissemination and mechanisms of change / Andrew John Shatte.

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Microformat

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Shatte, Andrew John.

Contributor:

Seligman, Martin E. P., advisor.

University of Pennsylvania.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Penn dissertations--Psychology.

Psychology--Penn dissertations.

Local Subjects:

Penn dissertations--Psychology.

Psychology--Penn dissertations.

Physical Description:

x, 129 pages : illustrations ; 29 cm

Production:

1996.

Summary:

The current research continues the development of a depression prevention protocol for children and adolescents; the Penn Optimism Program (POP). In an attempt to isolate the active ingredients of change in POP, we compared the efficacy of POP with a specific component placebo, PEP. This study also examined the effectiveness of middle school teachers and graduate students as program providers.

One Hundred and Fifty-two students aged from 12 to 14 years were randomly assigned to either POP, PEP, or a no-treatment control. Students in the active conditions met in groups of 10 for 2-hour sessions weekly for 12 weeks. Students completed a self-report inventory of depressive symptoms every 4-months for 12 months after the termination of the active programs.

Whole sample analyses indicate that POP effectively reduced and prevented depressive symptoms at the 4-month and 8-month follow-up probes, while PEP proved effective at the 8-month and 12-month probes. Analyses of sex differences indicated that boys alone tended to benefit from POP, and girls more than boys tended to benefit from PEP. Results also indicate that POP and PEP have different active ingredients, with emotion-focus emerging as an important mediator in PEP.

Teachers were more effective implementers of POP than graduate students. Graduate students were more effective than teachers with PEP. The interpersonal approach of PEP may be better suited to clinical graduate student leaders and female participants. The skills-based approach of POP may be more compatible with the didactic style of teachers and with male participants.

Notes:

Supervisor: Martin E. P. Seligman.

Thesis (Ph.D. in Psychology) -- University of Pennsylvania, 1996.

Includes bibliographical references.

Local Notes:

University Microfilms order no.: 97-13001.

OCLC:

187469562