Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Youth Leadership Class in the Prevention of Depression in Adolescents

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Abstract
Depression in adolescence is a common and potentially life-threatening health problem. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of prevention strategies on decreasing the rate of depression in adolescents. A class addressing specific skills identified as having an impact on adolescent depression was taught to youth participating in the program. The non-equivalent control group design was used. The sample consisted of 7th- and 8th-grade students in either the Youth Leadership class or a computer class of a California middle school. The Childhood Depression Inventory was the instrument used. Nine control group subjects and 11 experimental group subjects completed both the pretest and the posttest. The analysis of the data revealed no statistically significant differences between the control and experimental groups. This study should be repeated with larger sample sizes and with greater attention to the timing of pretests and posttests.

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