Friday, July 24, 2009

Study shows schools could help in reducing depression

Research by the University of Queensland has shown school intervention programs could help radically reduce the amount ofhttp://www.thetechherald.com/article.php/200930/4122/Study-shows-schools-could-help-in-reducing-depression being prescribed to adolescent boys.

School Counsellor Mark Taylor, who led the research, said that schools could help students deal with depression by teaching more conflict resolution and positive thinking, as well as encouraging more outdoor activities.

Dr Taylor said he was concerned not enough was being done to look at underlying conditions of adolescents' depression.

“Working in a school setting as a counsellor I became concerned about the numbers of students who were being prescribed antidepressants, without what I considered to be enough effort to find out what was going on in the lives of these students,” Dr Taylor said in a University of Queensland (UQ) news release.

“I wanted to substantiate that there are viable alternatives to antidepressants which can significantly reduce depressive symptoms.”

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