Research

This study examined 5 potential moderators in the efficacy trial, finding that effects for the Blues Program did not differ from controls when adolescents had high levels or substance use or negative life events.

This paper studied the long-term prevention effect of Blues Program on escalations in substance use in the efficacy trial. The results suggest that a valuable secondary benefit of the Blues program adolescent depression prevention may be lower rates of future substance use.

This paper examined a novel 5-step method for testing mediation in the efficacy trial with the goal of understanding how changes in CB factors (cognitions, activity level) and nonspecific factors (emotional expression, loneliness) accounted for change in the Blues Program group, supportive-expressive group, bibliotherapy, and controls.

This study provides long-term outcomes for the efficacy trial, evaluating effects at 1- and 2-year follow-up. Blues Program group participants had greater reductions in depressive symptoms compared to assessment controls by 1-year follow-up and lower depressive symptoms compared bibliotherapy participants at both 1- and 2-year follow-ups. Risk for major or minor depression onset over 2-year follow-up was significantly lower for both the Blues Program group and bibliotherapy compared to assessment control.

This meta-analysis summarized the effects of adolescent depression prevention programs evaluated in 47 trials. Overall small effects were detected for depressive symptom reductions but 4 trials (13%) did reduce future onset of depressive disorders. Many factors predicted larger prevention effects (e.g., targeting high-risk individuals, samples with more females, samples with older adolescents).