Positive Youth Development, Prevention And Positive Psychology: Commentary On Positive Youth Development In The United States

The review of positive youth development programs by R. F. Catalano, M. L. Berglund, J. A. M. Ryan, H. S. Lonczak, and J. D. Hawkins (2002) is an important milestone in positive psychology. It documents the potential power of building strengths and competencies in children. The present commentary explores the relationship of positive psychology to prevention and the broader field of positive psychology. We focus on (a) the ways in which positive youth development can benefit from research recommendations that are commonly made in the treatment and prevention literatures and (b) how prevention science can benefit by incorporating a positive youth development approach. Finally, we suggest that the current field of positive youth development is limited in that it focuses primarily on building strengths to reduce negative outcomes such as substance abuse, violence, teen pregnancy, and academic failure. An important and exciting goal for future programs is to foster an equally broad range of positive outcomes

Needed For Prevention Research: Long-Term Follow Up And The Evaluation Of Mediators, Moderators, And Lay Providers

There as has been great progress in research on the prevention of psychological disorders in childhood. The programs reviewed by M. T. Greenberg, C. Domitrovich, and B. Bumgarger (2001) are promising. Most of the programs reduced risk factors and/or symptoms of psychological disorders. Despite this progress, however, there is little evidence for the prevention of psychological disorders. We outline several recommendations for future research, including some noted by Greenberg et al (2001). In particular, we emphasize the need for longer term follow-up, the evaluation of intervention ingredients, mediators and moderators, and the evaluation of intervention providers. These recommendations are illustrated with recent research on depression prevention. Finally, we discuss the need for more research on the prevention of internalizing disorders and the limits of current interventions designed to prevent depression in children and adolescents

Preventing Depression: A Review Of Cognitive Behavioral And Family Interventions

Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders. It is associated with tremendous costs in terms of suffering, decrease in productivity, and loss of life. For many individuals, depression is a disorder that will recur throughout life. Recent findings suggest that the prevalence of depression is on the rise, particularly in young people. Clearly, depression prevention is an important goal. Can depression be prevented? In this article we review research on interventions designed to prevent episodes and symptoms of unipolar depression in adults and children. Our review focuses specifically on cognitive-behavioral and family interventions. We discuss what researchers have learned about the prevention of depression and conclude with recommendations for future investigations

Preventing Depressive Symptoms In Middle School Students: The Penn Resiliency Program

Unipolar depression is a major problem among youth today, with some estimates indicating that more than 20% will experience an episode before age 18. The disorder is often accompanied by academic problems, alcohol abuse, interpersonal difficulties, and physical health problems. The financial burden of depression is also significant. To address the high prevalence and associated costs, our research group developed at 12-session 24-hour cognitive-behavioral therapy based program for administration to middle school aged children. This article describes the content of the program and evidence for the program\u27s efficacy in preventing depressive symptoms in early adolescence