Abstract
The Aussie Optimism: Positive Thinking Skills Program (AOPTP) is a school-based prevention program aimed at addressing anxious and depressive symptoms in children aged 9–10 years. Nine-hundred and ten students from 22 Australian primary schools situated in low socio-economic areas were randomly assigned to either an intervention or control group, and assessed at a 30-month follow up. Those in the intervention group received the AOPTP program, where the control group continued to receive the regular health education course. Students completed self-report measures regarding their levels of depression, anxiety, and attribution style. Parents also reported on their children's externalizing and internalizing problems outside of school. There were no significant differences between groups in regard to anxiety or depression, as well as no significant differences in attributional styles. Parents reported significantly less hyperactive behaviors from children in the intervention group. This finding suggests that AOP-PTS has the capacity to treat externalizing problems at a medium term effect. The decrease in the externalizing problems provides evidence of a partial medium term intervention effect. Future studies should continue to evaluate the program at a long term follow up.
Highlights
The psychological adversities commonly experienced by children and adolescents are often classified into one of two broad categories: externalizing disorders, and internalizing disorders
A 9 month follow-up of study indicated that a significantly smaller proportion of the intervention group had since developed a depressive disorder compared to the control condition. These results indicated a prevention effect and suggested that the Aussie Optimism: Positive Thinking Skills Program (AOPTP) universal prevention program is a potentially effective method to prevent depressive disorders in children as young as 9–10 years of age
This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the Aussie Optimism: Positive Thinking Skills Program (AOPTP) among 9– 10 year old children in Perth, Western Australia
Summary
The psychological adversities commonly experienced by children and adolescents are often classified into one of two broad categories: externalizing disorders, and internalizing disorders. Though conceptually different, these disorders are not always independent from one another, and have the capacity to impact an individual in conjunction. Externalizing disorders are characterized by disruptive, disobedient, and harmful behaviors that are often manifested physically (Weisz and Weiss, 1991), such as aggressive, impulsive, and noncompliant actions (Achenbach, 1991). The most prevalent internalizing disorders in childhood and adolescence are anxiety and mood disorders These disorders are often the primary focus for mental health prevention programs that aim to address the issue of internalizing disorders. It is predicted that at any time, 14% of Australian children and adolescents between 4 and 17 years of age experience these internalizing disorders (Sawyer et al, 2001)
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