Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T14:33:43.878Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Promoting effective coping in adolescents ‘at-risk’ for depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2016

Kerry Bugalski  and
Erica Frydenberg
Kerry Bugalski
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education University of Melbourne
Erica Frydenberg*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education University of Melbourne
*
Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne, Carlton 3101, Email.[email protected]
Get access

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effect of a coping skills program ‘The Best of Coping: Bright Lives’ on adolescents' coping styles. This study also seeks to determine if groups of adolescents who are more or less resistant to depression show different gains from program participation.

Comparisons between changes in coping styles were made between groups of adolescents; those considered at-risk for and resistant to depression, those neither resistant or at-risk for depression, and a male and female group. All students, regardless of group membership, participated in the ‘The Best of Coping: Bright Lives’ program.

All participants completed the Adolescent Coping Scale, the Children's Attributional Style Questionnaire and the Perceived Control of Internal States pre and post program.

Results show a significant increase in Reference to Others coping post program, for all groups, particularly the males. The ‘at-risk’ group also appeared to show a decrease in the use of ‘Non-Productive’ coping post program, in comparison to the ‘resilient“ group.

It appears that positive program effects are greatest for adolescents who are prone to depression and use the most ineffective strategies. This indicates that the program effectively targets the adolescents that need the help the most.

Type
Research papers
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , November 2000 , pp. 111 - 132
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aspinwall, L.G. & Taylor, S.E., (1992) Individual differences, coping and psychological adjustment: A longitudinal study of college adjustment and performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 989–1003.Google Scholar
Bandura, A. (1977) Self Efficacy: Towards a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215.Google Scholar
Brandon, C.M., Cunningham, E.G., & Frydenberg, E. (1999) Bright ideas. Australian Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 9(1), 147–157.Google Scholar
Clarke, G.N., Hawkins, W., Murphy, M & Sheeber, L., (1993) School-Based PrimaryPrevention of Depressive Symptomatology in Adolescents, findings from two studies, Journal of Adolescen Research, 8, 183–204.Google Scholar
Compas, B.E., (1993) Promoting positive mental health during adolescence. In Milstein, S.G., Peterson, A.C., Nightingale, E.O., (Eds), Adolescent Health Promotion, 159–179, New York, Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Compas, B.E. (1995) Promoting successful coping during adolescence. In Rutter, M. (Ed) Psychosocial Disturbances in Young People. Challenges for Prevention. (247–273) Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Compas, B.E., Phares, V., & Ledoux, N. (1989). Stress and coping preventive intervention for children and adolescents. In Bond, L. A & Compas, B. E. (Eds). (319–340) Newbury Park CA: SageGoogle Scholar
Cowen, E.L. (1980). The wooing of primary prevention. American Journal of Community Psychology, 8, 258–284Google Scholar
Cronkite, R.C & Moos, R.H (1984) The role of predisposing and moderating factors in the stress-illness relationship. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 255, 272–293.Google Scholar
Cunningham, E. (1999) The development of coping resources in early adolescence within the context of whole-school curriculum: A mediational analysis of mechanisms through which a preventative intervention program achieves its outcomes. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. The University of Melbourne.Google Scholar
Cunningham, E., & Walker, G. (1999) Screening for at-risk youth: Predicting adolescent depression from coping styles. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 9(1), 37–46.Google Scholar
Fanshawe, J.P., & Burnett, P.C., (1991) Assessing School-Related Stressors and Coping Mechanisms in Adolescents. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 61, 92–98.Google Scholar
Frydenberg, E., & Brandon, C.M. (1999) Bright Lives: Developing coping skills. Unpublished Manuscript. The University of Melbourne.Google Scholar
Frydenberg, E., and Lewis, R. (1999) Things don't get better just because you're older: a case for facilitating reflection, British Journal of Educational Psychology, 69(1), 81–94.Google Scholar
Frydenberg, E., & Lewis, R. (1993) Manual: The Adolescent Coping Scale. Melbourne: Australian Council for Adult Educational ResearchGoogle Scholar
Frydenberg, E., & Lewis, R. (1993a) Boys play sport and girls turn to others: age, gender and ethnicity as determinants of coping, Journal of Adolescence, 16, 253–266.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Frydenberg, E.& Lewis, R. (1996) A replication study of the structure of the Adolescent Coping Scale: Multiple forms and applications of a self-report inventory in a counselling and research context. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 12(3), 224–235CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frydenberg, E. (1997) Adolescent Coping: Theoretical and Research Perspectives. Routlage, LondonGoogle Scholar
Gamezy, N. (1983) Stressors of Childhood. In Garmezy, N. and Rutter, M. (Eds.) Stress, coping and development in children (pp. 43–84) McGraw-Hill: New YorkGoogle Scholar
Garmezy, N., & Rutter, M., (1985) Acute stress reactions, In Rutter, M. & Hollon, L. (Eds) Childhood and Adolescent Psychiatry: Modern Approaches, Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Hammen, C., & Mayol, A. (1982) Depression and cognitive characteristics of stressful life-event types, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 91, 165–174Google Scholar
Halstead, M., Johnson, S.B. & Cunningham, W. (1993) Measuring coping in adolescents: an application of the Ways of Coping Checklist, Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 22(3), 337–344.Google Scholar
Holahan, C.J., & Moos, R.H. (1987) Personal and contextual determinants of coping strategies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 946–955.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jaycox, L.H., Revich, J.G., Gillham, J., & Seligman, M.E.P. (1994) Prevention of depressive symptoms in school children. Behavioral Research and Therapy, 32(8) 801–816.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kosky, R., (1994) Children, adolescents and depression. Mental Health in Australia, 6(1), 9–11Google Scholar
Lazarus, R.S. (1966). Psychological stress and the coping process. New York: McGraw-HillGoogle Scholar
Lazarus, R.S., & Folkman, R.S. (1984) Stress, Appraisal, and Coping, Springer: New YorkGoogle Scholar
Matheny, K.B., Aycock, D.W., & McCarthy, C.J., (1993) Stress in School-Aged Children and Youth. Educational Psychology Review, 5(2), 109–134Google Scholar
National Health and Medical Research; Clinical Practice Guidelines. (1997). Depression on Young People. Canberra Australian Government Publish in Service.Google Scholar
Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Girgus, J.S., & Seligman, M.E., (1992) Predictors and Consequences of Childhood Depressive Symptoms: A 5-Year Longitudinal Study. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 101(3), 405–422Google Scholar
Pallant, J. (1998) Perceived control of internal states. Unpublished PHD thesis. University of Melbourne, Melbourne.Google Scholar
Patterson, J.M., & McCubbin, H.I. (1987) Adolescent coping style and behaviors: Conceptualization and measurement, Journal of Adolescence, 10, 163–186.Google Scholar
Ralph, A., & Nicholson, L. (1995) Teaching Coping Skill to Depressed Adolescents in High School Settings, Behavior Change, 12(4), 175–190.Google Scholar
Rice, K.G., & Meyer, A.L. (1994) Coping with challenge in adolescence: Preliminary process results of a psycho-educational intervention program. Journal of Counselling and Development, 73, 145–152.Google Scholar
Rutter, M., (1985) Resilience in the Face of Adversity, protective factor and resistance to psychiatric disorder. British Journal of Psychiatry, 147, 598–611)Google Scholar
Rutter, M. (1983) Stress, Coping and Development. In Garemzy, N. and Rutter, M. (Eds) Stress, Coping and Development in Children (pp.1–41)Google Scholar
Sandler, I. R., Wolchik, S.A., MacKinnon, D., Ayers, T.S., & Roosa, M.W., (1997) Developing Linkages between Theory and intervention in Stress and Coping Processes, In Wolchik, S. A & Sandler, I.N., Handbook of Children's Coping, linking theory and intervention, PlenumGoogle Scholar
Scheier, M.F., & Carver, C.S. (1992) Effects of optimism on psychological and physical wellbeing: Theoretical overview and empirical update. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 16, 201–228Google Scholar
Segerstrom, S.C., Taylor, S.E., Kemeny, M.E., & Fahey, J.L., (1998) Optimism Is Associated With Mood, Coping, and Immune Change in Response to Stress. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 6, 1646–1655CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Seligman, M.E., (1995) The Optimistic Child. NSW: Random House, AustraliaGoogle Scholar
Seligman, M.E., Peterson, C., Kaslow, N.J., Tanenbaum, R.L., Alloy, L.B., & Abramson, L.Y., (1984) Attributional Style and Depressive Symptoms Among Children. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 93 (2), 235–238Google Scholar
Shochet, I. & Osgarby, S. (1999). The resourceful adolescent project: Building psychological resilience in adolescent and their parents. The Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 16(1), 46–65.Google Scholar
Skinner, E.A. & Wellborn, J.G. (1997) Children's coping in the academic domain. In Wolchik, S.A. & Sandler's, I.N. (Eds.), Handbook of children's coping: Linking theory and intervention, New York: Plenum Press.Google Scholar
Spirito, A., Overholser, J., Ashworth, S., Morgan, J. & Bendict-Drew, C. (1988) Evaluation of a Suicide Awareness Curriculum for High School Students, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 27(6), 705–711.Google Scholar
Spirito, A., Stark, L.J., Williams, C.A. & Guevremeont, D.C. (1989) Common problems and coping strategies: Findings with normal adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 17, 203–212.Google Scholar
Stokes, J.P., & Wilson, D.G. (1984) The Inventory of Socially Supported Behaviors: Dimensionality, prediction, and gender differences. American Journal of Community Psychology, 12, 53–69.Google Scholar
Taylor, S.E., & Brown, J.D., (1988) Illusion and Well-Being: A Social Psychological Perspective on Mental Health, Psychological Bulletin, 103, 193–210.Google Scholar
Terry, D.J. (1991) Coping Resources and Situational Appraisals as Predictors of Coping Behavior, Personality and Individual Differences, 12(10), 1031–1047.Google Scholar
Terry, D.J., Rawle, R. & Callan, V.J. (1995) The effects of social support on adjustment to stress: The mediating role of coping, Personal Relationships, 2, 97–124.Google Scholar
Thompson, S.C., (1981) Will It Hurt Less If I Can Control It? A Complex Answer to a Simple Question. Psychological Bulletin, 90, 89–101.Google Scholar
Wolf, S., (1995) The concept of resilience. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 29, 565–575.Google Scholar