Prevention of anxiety and depression in children - development and evaluation of a universal lifeskills program

本研究的目的是发展和评估一个普遍的以学校为基础的心理健康促进计划，旨在预防高年级小学生的焦虑和抑郁。该计划将建立在增加年轻人的弹性和乐观的有效方法的基础上（Jaycox等人，1994; Clarke等人，1995年; Dadds等人，1997; Roberts等人，1998年，Shochet等人，1998年）。没有其他预防方案同时解决焦虑和抑郁问题，也没有将其方案纳入学校课程。普遍的澳大利亚乐观主义方案将向准备过渡到高中的儿童教授乐观的思维方式和积极的自我对话、自我效能、应对策略和解决社会问题的能力。它将以模块化的形式设计，以适应澳大利亚小学的学期和K-10健康和体育课程。它的目的是由教师实施，再加上一个家庭模块将被开发作为一个辅助课堂计划。该计划针对的是青春期早期抑郁症发病率上升之前的发展阶段。该方案有可能在比以往方案更大的范围内促进儿童的心理健康，减少年轻人焦虑和抑郁的发生率，并提高他们对生活压力的适应力。

The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a universal school-based mental health promotion program aimed at preventing anxiety and depression in upper primary school students. The program will build on validated methods of increasing resilience and optimism in young people (Jaycox et al., 1994; Clarke et al., 1995; Dadds et al., 1997; Roberts et al., 1998, Shochet et al., 1998). No other prevention programs have addressed both anxiety and depression, nor have they integrated their programs into the school curriculum. The universal Aussie Optimism Program will teach optimistic thinking styles and positive self-talk, self-efficacy, coping strategies and social problem solving to children preparing for their transition to high school. It will be designed in modular format to fit with Australian primary school terms and the K-10 Health and Physical Education curriculum. It is designed to be implemented by teachers, plus a family module will be developed to be used as an adjunct to the classroom program. The program is targeted at a developmental stage just prior to the increase in depression symptomatology in early adolescence. The program has the potential to promote the mental health of children on a larger scale than previous programs, to reduce the incidence of anxiety and depression in young people and to increase their resilience to life's stresses.