Understanding the Efficacy of Self-affirmation Intervention for Subclinical Depression Among Young Adults

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to understand the effectiveness of the Self-affirmation intervention for subclinical depression in Indian adults. Methods: We used the experimental research design. Using purposive sampling, 80 participants with subclinical depression were chosen. The participants were randomly allocated equally to experimental (intervention) and control (non-intervention) groups. Their depression was measured at 3 intervals: pre- and post-interventions and follow-up. We hypothesized that Self-affirmation intervention will show curative and preventive capacity for subclinical depression. The data were analyzed using the 3-way analysis of variance method. Results: The results revealed the significant curative power of the Self-affirmation intervention for subclinical depression of the participants in the experimental group when compared to the control group. The main effects of conditions (intervention: control and experimental) and treatment intervals (pre-, post-, and follow-up) as well as their interaction effect were significant. Mean subclinical depression scores during pre- and post-interventions and follow-up intervals confirmed the curative and prophylactic power of the intervention. Conclusion: The study findings indicated that the affirmation-based intervention carries both curative and preventive powers for subclinical depression, as reflected in the experimental group’s lower performance after the intervention and follow-up. The reverberating positive effects induced after Self-affirmation manipulation have remained active even after the intervention ended because of the underlying mechanisms of meaning, strengths, positive attributions, and beneficial social relationships that inhibit the relapse of subclinical depressive tendencies.