How to Prevent Depression

A brief and inexpensive cognitive-behavioral prevention program was given to university students at risk for depression. "At risk" was defined as being in the most pessimistic quarter of explanatory style about Adverse Events in the youth's life. 231 students were randomized into either an 8-week prevention workshop that met in groups of 10, once per week for 2 hours, or into an assessment-only control group.

The training group was taught how to renew their minds with a simple formula. ABCD

A = Activating Event
B = Belief System
C = Consequential Feelings
D = Decisive Behavior

Most Pessimistic young people explain Adverse Events (A) with a Belief System of thinking that a fatal flaw in them is responsible for the problem and it can never change. The class taught them to Renew their Belief System with facts and to challenget the old Pessimistic ways of thinking.

Subjects were followed for 3 years and we report the preventive effects of the workshop on depression and anxiety.

First, the workshop group had significantly fewer episodes of generalized anxiety disorder than the control group and showed a trend toward fewer major depressive episodes.

The workshop group had significantly fewer moderate depressive episodes but no fewer severe depressive episodes.

Second, the workshop group had significantly fewer depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms than the control group, as measured by self-report but not by clinicians' ratings.

Third, the workshop group had significantly greater improvements in explanatory style, hopelessness, and dysfunctional attitudes than the control group and these were significant mediators of depressive symptom prevention in the workshop group.

The Truth Shall Set us Free.

Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.