Strong teens and resilient minds:
School-based prevention of depression and suicide

In this randomized controlled trial (RCT with 2 conditions, intervention and control group) the effectiveness of an indicated prevention program aimed at depression will be tested. Adolescents in their second year of secondary school (11-15 years) will be screened for depression by the mental health service of school (GGD). Adolescents with presence of suicidal ideation or severe depressive symptoms will be seen and eventually redirected to mental health care. Adolescents with clinical level of depressive symptoms will be randomly assigned to the experimental and control condition. Participants in the experimental condition will receive the prevention program ‘Op Volle Kracht’ consisting of 8 sessions of 60 minutes that will be implemented at school. Participants in the control condition will receive psycho-educational information. Measurements of primary and secondary outcomes will be conducted in the intervention and control group at baseline, post-intervention, at 6-, 12-, 24-, 36-, and 48 months follow-up.

The effectiveness of a school-based indicated depression prevention program ('Op Volle Kracht') will be tested in a Dutch sample of adolescents with elevated depressive symptoms (aged 12-14 years). It is expected that the adolescents who receive the intervention will show lower levels of depressive symptoms during follow-up, compared to the control group. Moreover, it is expected that the intervention will be cost-effective and screening and intervening will reduce suicide risk.

1. Baseline

2. Post-intervention (after session 8)

3. Follow-up 1 (6 months)

4. Follow-up 2 (12 months)

5. Follow-up 3 (24 months)

6. Follow-up 4 (36 months)

7. Follow-up 5 (48 months)

The adolescents with symptoms of depression will be randomly assigned to the intervention or control condition. Participants in the intervention condition receive the program, consisting of 8 sessions of 60 minutes that will be implemented at school. Participants in the intervention and participants in the control condition will fill in questionnaires at seven moments during the study. After the study, the participants in the control condition will also get the chance to follow the lessons.