Contents

Resources

Family & School Interventions

Children of depressed parents are at heightened risk for depression and other forms of psychopathology. Depression is a risk factor for suicide and suicidal behaviour. Family-focused group interventions that target the offspring of depressed parents are designed to reduce risk factors, promote competencies, and increase awareness of depression in family members. While the effect of these types of intervention on the specific outcome of suicide-related behaviour among youth is not entirely clear, they have been shown to be effective at reducing depressive symptoms among adolescents of depressed parents, which makes it a promising youth suicide prevention strategy to pursue.62

Engaging with depressed parents, providing psycho educational materials, teaching strategies for enhancing resilience in children, linking information to families’ particular illness experience, and providing long-term support and follow up, represent a promising and comprehensive approach to reducing risks for depression among children and youth.63

In recent years, school-based, indicated prevention programs that target youth-at-risk have become more common. Rigorous program evaluations, several of which are based on strong experimental designs, have recently been conducted to assess the effectiveness of school-based, indicated prevention programs for potential high school dropouts. Results indicate that brief, skill-based, social support enhancement interventions can be effective in reducing risks for suicide both immediately after the program, 10 weeks later and at nine-month follow-up.64 65 66

Implementation Ideas and Resources

Reconnecting Youth: A Peer Group Approach to Building Life Skills has been characterized by the American Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA) as a “model program.” Reconnecting Youth (RY) is a school-based prevention program for youth in grades 9 through 12 (14 to 18 years old) at risk for school dropout. These youth also may exhibit multiple problems, such as substance abuse, aggression, depression, or suicide risk behaviors. Reconnecting Youth uses a partnership model involving peers, school personnel, and parents to deliver interventions that address the three central program goals: decreased drug involvement, increased school performance and decreased emotional distress.

For additional resources related to family and school-focused interventions with at-risk youth, click here.