Abstract

SANCHEZ-HERNANDEZ, Óscar; MENDEZ, Francisco X.; ATO, Manuel  and  GARBER, Judy. Prevention of depressive symptoms and promotion of well-being in adolescents: a randomized controlled trial of the Smile Program. Anal. Psicol. [online]. 2019, vol.35, n.2, pp.225-232.  Epub Nov 02, 2020. ISSN 1695-2294.  https://dx.doi.org/10.6018/analesps.35.2.342591.

This study addressed the development and evaluation of the Smile Program whose main objective was the prevention of depression and the promotion of well-being in adolescents. The program is based on interventions that have been shown to be efficacious (a cognitive-behavioral approach). Participants were 89 adolescents (mean age = 13.88 years; SD = 0.95) recruited from a sample of 1212 students from seven schools. Results showed a significant reduction in self-reported depressive symptoms in the intervention group (n= 51) as compared to youth in the control group (n= 38). Based on parents’ report (n=56), youth in the intervention group had significantly better self-esteem at post-test as compared to youth in the control group. At four months post intervention, youth in the intervention group had higher psychological well-being than those in the control group; at the 8-month follow-up, youth in the intervention condition reported better family self-concept.

Keywords : prevention; depression; adolescents; well-being.

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