Online prevention of anxiety and depression in adolescents - Phase II.

Based on our previous study, NTR3950, we further test an online prevention program designed to increase emotional resilience and reduce and prevent anxiety and depression symptoms in adolescents. Participants (300) are recruited on high schools, selected on heightened anxiety/depressive symptoms and randomly assigned to one of 6 conditions (3 active trainings, 2 placebo training, 1 monitoring). Training focuses on attention and interpretation biases. Anxiety and depression symptoms and secondary outcome measures are assessed at pre- and post-training and 3 and 6 months follow-up.

The aim of the current study is to test whether online training of a positive attentional bias or positive interpretation bias is successful in increasing resilience, reducing internalizing symptoms and preventing clinical disorders (anxiety/depression) in a sample of vulnerable adolescents (with heightened anxiety/depressive symptoms).

Assessments at pre-training, post-training and 3 and 6 months follow-up.

There are 5 training conditions, consisting of
8 15-minute sessions of online computer training (twice a week).

1. Visual search attention bias training

2. Visual search placebo training

3. Interpretation bias training word-fragment

4. Interpretation bias training word-picture

5. Interpretation bias placebo training



Furthermore, there is one test-retest/monitoring condition, with no training.