Promoting positive coping skills for rural youth: benefits for at-risk young people.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effects of a coping skills program long term and to assess the utility of providing booster intervention. Young people at high risk for depression were of particular interest.

DESIGN

Mixed method.

SETTING

Rural Victoria (approximately 200 km from Melbourne).

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 159 year 10 students (76 male and 83 female) from a Catholic Secondary school.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Adolescent Coping Scale and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale.

RESULTS

Following initial coping skills training (with the Best of Coping program) students at risk for depression had significantly reduced their reliance on non-productive coping (P < 0.05). This decrease was not maintained at 12-month follow up but was improved through exposure to a booster program. Results suggest the high-risk group are likely to benefit from further intervention. At the 12-month follow up all students were involved in booster coping skills training (with the Coping for Success program) that significantly increased their likelihood of referring to others to assist in solving problems (P < 0.05). These findings were supported by qualitative interview data.

CONCLUSIONS

Positive program effects for young people at risk of depression and beneficial outcomes of booster intervention for the general student population were achieved in a rural setting.