Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Depression Education and Identification in Schools: An Australian-based Study

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
School Mental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Depression, suicidal ideation and self-harm are common in adolescents; however, such difficulties often remain undetected. The aim of this study is to combine a school-based depression education program with a case-detection system in order to improve the recognition of depression; increase help-seeking; reduce stigma; and identify people at risk. The study employed a pre-test, post-test design with a wait-list control group. Participants were 343 14- to 16-year-old boys attending an Australian secondary school. The intervention comprised a one-off, 2-h workshop. Participants were assessed via questionnaire at three time points; the case-detection tool was embedded in the questionnaire. Participation led to an increased likelihood of seeking help; an increased likelihood of rating a relevant professional as helpful and improved attitudes. The screening led to the detection of 20 at-risk students. The program led to short-term improvements in mental health literacy and to the identification of several at-risk students.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andrews, G., Henderson, S., & Hall, W. (2001). Prevalence, comorbidity, disability and service utilisation. Overview of the Australian National Mental Health Survey. British Journal of Psychiatry, 178, 145–153.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Leo, D., & Heller, T. S. (2004). Who are the kids who self-harm? An Australian self-report school survey. Medical Journal of Australia, 181, 140–144.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • French, D. J., & Tait, R. J. (2004). Measurement invariance in the General Health Questionnaire-12 in young Australian adolescents. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 13(1), 1–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gould, M., Greenberg, T., Velting, D. M., & Shaffer, D. (2003). Youth suicide risk and preventative interventions: A review of the past 10 years. Journal if the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 42, 386–405.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harkavy Friedman, J. M., Asnis, G. M., Boeck, M., & DiFiore, J. (1987). Prevalence of specific suicidal behaviors in a high school sample. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 1203–1206.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hawton, K., Rodham, K., Evans, E., & Weatherall, R. (2002). Deliberate self harm in adolescents: Self report survey in schools in England. British Medical Journal, 325, 1207–1211.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jorm, A. F. (2000). Mental health literacy. Public knowledge and beliefs about mental disorders. British Journal of Psychiatry, 177, 396–401.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jorm, A. F., Morgan, A. J., & Wright, A. (2008). Interventions that are helpful for depression and anxiety in young people: A comparison of clinician’s beliefs with those of youth and their parents. Journal of Affective Disorders, 111, 227–234.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kitchener, B. A., & Jorm, A. F. (2002). Mental Health First Aid training for the public: Evaluation of the effects on knowledge, attitudes and helping behaviour. BMC Psychiatry, 2, 10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mann, J. J., Apter, A., Bertolote, J., Beautrais, A., Currier, D., Haas, A., et al. (2005). Suicide prevention strategies: A systematic review. Journal of the American Medical Association, 294, 2064–2074.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Merry, S., McDowell, H., Hetrick, S., Bir, J., & Muller, N. (2004). Psychological and/or educational interventions for the prevention of depression in children and adolescents. Cochrane database for systematic reviews. 2004:1 CD003380.

  • Murray, C. J., & Lopez, A. D. (1997). Alternative projections of mortality and disability by cause 1990–2020: Global burden of disease study. Lancet, 349, 1498–1504.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Neil, A. L., & Christensen, H. (2007). Australian school-based prevention and early intervention programs for anxiety and depression: a systematic review. Medical Journal of Australia, 186, 305–308.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Patton, G. C., Harris, R., Carlin, J. B., Hibbert, M. E., Coffey, C., Schwartz, M., et al. (1997). Adolescent suicidal behaviours: A population-based study of risk. Psychological Medicine, 27, 715–724.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spence, S. H., & Shortt, A. L. (2007). Research Review: Can we justify the widespread dissemination of universal, school-based interventions for the prevention of depression among children and adolescents? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 48, 526–542.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the staff at Melbourne High School for their support with this project. This study was funded by The Bennelong Foundation, The Myer Foundation and the Rotary Club of Camberwell in partnership with the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund. ORYGEN Youth Health Research Centre is affiliated with Melbourne Health and The University of Melbourne and receives funding from the Colonial Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jo Robinson.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Robinson, J., Gook, S., Yuen, H.P. et al. Depression Education and Identification in Schools: An Australian-based Study. School Mental Health 2, 13–22 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-009-9022-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-009-9022-9

Keywords

Navigation