Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T15:10:31.923Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Building resilience in early adolescence through a universal school-based preventive program

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2016

E. G. Cunningham ,
C. M. Brandon  and
E. Frydenberg
E. G. Cunningham*
Affiliation:
University of Melbourne
C. M. Brandon
Affiliation:
University of Melbourne
E. Frydenberg
Affiliation:
University of Melbourne
*
Everarda Cunningham, Department of Learning and Educational Development, Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Victoria Australia, Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The development of effective coping resources, including positive thinking and an increased sense of self-efficacy, is related to enhancing resilience and healthy development in young people. A universal school-based prevention program that adapted techniques cognitive therapists use for depressed children, and directly based on the work of Seligman (1995), was implemented over a six-week period to whole-class groups by classroom teachers within their regular school curricula. Learning was facilitated through the use of stories, cartoons, hypothetical examples, practice and role-plays. Fifty-eight Year 5 and 6 students from four schools in regional and rural Victoria completed pre- and post-program questionnaires on self-efficacy, coping and attributional style. Following program participation, children reported significant improvements in optimistic thinking and self-efficacy, as well as a reduction in the use of the non-productive coping strategies of worry, wishful thinking, not coping, and reliance on friends. These promising results provide evidence for the feasibility of implementing a low-cost, non-intrusive program that addresses the emotional well-being of all young people in school settings. The longer-term success and viability of any universal preventive programs may ultimately depend upon the extent to which such programs can be integrated into the mainstream curriculum practices of schools.

Type
Research papers
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , November 1999 , pp. 15 - 24
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitve theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.Google Scholar
Bandura, A. (1991). Self-efficacy conception of anxiety. In Schwarzer, R. & Wicklund, R. (Eds.), Anxiety and self-focused attention (pp. 89–100). Chur, Switzerland: Harwood.Google Scholar
Boekaerts, M. (1996). Coping with stress in childhood and adolescence. In Zeidner, M. & Endler, N.S. (Eds.), Handbook of coping: theory, research, applications (pp.452–484). Ontario: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Brandon, C. M., Cunningham, E. G., & Frydenberg, E. (1999). Bright Ideas: A school-based program teaching optimistic thinking skills in pre-adolescence. Australian Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 9, 153–163.Google Scholar
Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (1999). Optimism. In Snyder, C. R. (Ed.), Coping: The psychology of what works (pp. 182–204). New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Clarke, G. W., Hawkins, W., Murphy, M., Sheeber, L. B., Lewinsohn, P. M., & Seeley, J. R. (1993). School-based primary prevention of depressive symptomatology in adolescents: Findings from two studies. Journal of Adolescent Research, 8, 183–204.Google Scholar
Clarke, G. W., Hawkins, W., Murphy, M., Sheeber, L. B., Lewinsohn, P. M., & Seeley, J. R. (1995). Targeted prevention of unipolar depressive disorder in an at-risk sample of high school adolescents: A randomised trial of a group cognitive intervention. Journal of the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, 34, 312–321.Google Scholar
Compas, B.E. (1995). Promoting successful coping during adolescence. In Rutter, M., (Ed.). Psychological disturbances in young people (pp. 284–302) New York: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Compas, B. E. (1998). An agenda for coping research and theory: Basic and applied developmental issues. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 22, 231–237.Google Scholar
Compas, B. E., & Hammen, C. L. (1994). Child and adolescent depression: Covariation and comorbidity in development. In Haggerty, R. J., Sherrod, L. R., Garmezy, N., & Rutter, M. (Eds.), Stress, risk, and resilience in children and adolescents: Processes, mechanisms, and interventions (pp. 225–267). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Cunningham, E. G., & Walker, G. A. (1999). Screening for at-risk youth: Predicting adolescent depression from coping styles. Australian Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 9, 37–47.Google Scholar
Dadds, M. R., Spence, S. H., Holland, D. E., Barrett, P. M., & Laurens, K. R. (1997). Prevention and early intervention for anxiety disorders: A controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 65, 627–635.Google Scholar
Dweck, C. S., & Sorich, L. A. (1999). Mastery-orientated thinking. In Snyder, C. R. (Ed.), Coping: The psychology of what works (pp. 232–251). New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Ebata, A. T., & Moos, R. H. (1991). Coping and adjustment in distressed and healthy adolescents. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 12, 33–54.Google Scholar
Elias, M. J. (1991). A multilevel action-research perspective on stress-related intervention. In Colten, M. E. & Gore, S. (Eds.), Adolescent stress: Causes and consequences (pp. 261–279). New York: Walter de Gruyter.Google Scholar
Folkman, S. & Lazarus, R. S. (1985). If it changes it must be a process: A study of emotion and coping during three stages of a college examination. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48, 150–170.Google Scholar
Frydenberg, E. (1997). Adolescent Coping: Theoretical and Research Perspectives. London: Routlage.Google Scholar
Frydenberg, E., & Lewis, R. (1993). Manual: The Adolescent Coping Scale, Melbourne: Australian Council for Educational Research.Google Scholar
Garmezy, N. (1994). Reflections and commentary on risk, resilience, and development. In Haggerty, R. J., Sherrod, L. R., Garmezy, N., & Rutter, M. (Eds.), Stress, risk, and resilience in children and adolescents: Processes, mechanisms, and interventions (pp. 1–18). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Gillham, J. E., Reivich, K. J., Jaycox, L. H., & Seligman, M. E. (1995). Prevention of depressive symptoms in school children: Two year follow-up. Psychological Science, 6, 343–350.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Glyshaw, K., Cohen, L., & Towbes, L. (1989). Coping strategies and psychological distress: Prospective analysis of early and middle adolescents.Google Scholar
Jaycox, L.H., Reivich, K. J., Gillham, J. & Seligman, M.E.P. (1994). Prevention of depressive symptoms in school children. Behavioral Research and Therapy, 32(8), 801–816.Google Scholar
Kendall, P. (1994). Treating anxiety disorders in children: A controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62, 100–110.Google Scholar
Kovacs, M. (1997). The Emanuel Miller Memorial Lecture 1994. Depressive disorders in childhood: An impressionistic landscape. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38, 287–298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Matheny, K. B., Aycock, D. W., & McCarthy, C.J. (1993). Stress in school-aged children and youth. Educational Psychology Review, 5, 109–134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McWhirter, J. J., McWhirter, B. T., McWhirter, A. M., & McWhirter, E. H. (1998). At-risk youth: A comprehensive response. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks Cole.Google Scholar
Mineka, S., & Kelly, A. K. (1989). The relationship between anxiety, lack of control and loss of control. In Steptoe, A. & Appels, A. (Eds.), Stress, personal control and health (pp. 163–191). New York: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Girgus, J.S. and Seligman, M.E.P. (1992), Predictors and consequences of childhood depressive Symptoms, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 101, (3) 405–422.Google Scholar
Pajares, F. (1997). Current directions in self-efficacy research. In Maehr, M. & Pintrick, P. R. (Eds.). Advances in motivation and achievement, Volume 10, (pp. 1–49). Greenwich, CT: JAL Press.Google Scholar
Pallant, J. F. (1998). Development and evaluation of a multidimensional, multidomain inventory to measure perceived control of internal states. Unpublished doctoral thesis. Monash University, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Pedhazur, E. J. & Schmelkin, L. (1991). Measurement, design, and analysis: An integrated approach. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence ErlbaumGoogle Scholar
Petersen, A. C., Compas, B. E., Brooks-Gunn, J., Stemmler, M., Ey, S., & Grant, K. E. (1993). Depression in adolescence. American Psychologist, 48, 155–168.Google Scholar
Resnick, M. D., Bearman, P. S., Blum, R. W., Bauman, K. E., Harris, K. M., Jones, J., Tabor, J., Beuhring, T., Sieving, R. E., Shew, M., Ireland, M., Bearinger, L. H., & Udry, R. (1997). Protecting adolescents from harm: Findings from the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 278, 823–832.Google Scholar
Roberts, C. M. (1999). The prevention of depression in children and adolescents. Australian Psychologist, 34, 49–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roeser, R. W. (1998). On schooling and mental health: Introduction to the special issue. Educational Psychologist, 33, 129–135.Google Scholar
Rosenman, S. J. (1998). Preventing suicide: what will work and what will not. Medical Journal of Australia, 169, 100–102.Google Scholar
Rutter, M. (1985). Resilience in the face of adversity: Protective factors and resistance to psychiatric disorder, British Journal of Psychiatry, 147, 598–611.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rutter, M. (1994). Stress research: Accomplishments and tasks ahead. In Haggerty, R. J., Sherrod, L. R., Garmezy, N. & Rutter, M. (Eds.), Stress, risk, and resilience in children and adolescents: Processes, mechanisms, and interventions (pp. 354–386). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Seiffge-Krenke, I. (1993). Coping behavior in normal and clinical samples: More similarities than differences? Journal of Adolescence, 16, 285–303.Google Scholar
Seligman, M.E.P., Peterson, C., Kaslow, N.J., Tanenbaum, R.L., Alloy, L.B., & Abramson, L.Y. (1984). Attributional style and depressive symptoms among children, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 93(2), 235–238.Google Scholar
Seligman, M.E.P. (1995). The Optimistic Child. NSW: Random House Australia.Google Scholar
Shochet, I.M., Dadds, M. R., Holland, D., Whitefield, K., Harnett, P., & Osgarby, S. M. (personal correspondence). Short-term effects of a universal school-based program to prevent adolescent depression: A controlled trial. Manuscript in preparation, Griffith University, Brisbane.Google Scholar
Steptoe, A. (1989). The significance of personal control in health and disease. In Steptoe, A. & Appels, A. (Eds.), Stress, personal control and health (pp. 309–318). New York: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Thompson, S. C., & Spacapan, S. (1991). Perceptions of control in vulnerable populations. Journal of Social Issues, 4, 1–21.Google Scholar
Weisz, J. R. (1990). Development of control-related beliefs, goals, and styles in childhood and adolescence: A clinical perspective. In Rodin, J., Schooler, C., & Warner, S. K., (Eds.). Self-directness: Cause and effects throughout the life course (pp.52–68). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar