A pilot study of a preventive program for depressive and anxious symptoms during the postsecondary transition

Abstract

Objective: To examine the effects of the indicated level of the prevention program Zenétudes: making a healthy transition to college on anxious and depressive symptoms. Participants: 65 college students participated in the study, from September 2014 to August 2016. From that initial sample, 53 students (ages 16-34) were included in analyses. Methods: First-year students were screened for anxious and depressive symptoms at the beginning of their semester. Students who scored higher than the cutoff score were invited to be part of the study. Both treatment and comparison groups completed pretest, post-test, and follow-up questionnaires. Results: Results show significant differences between treatment and comparison groups in both depressive and anxious symptoms at follow-up. Conclusion: The results of this pilot study support the positive effects of Zenétudes on anxious and depressive symptoms. Larger studies should be conducted to identify which components of the program mediate its efficacy.

Keywords: Anxiety; college students; depression; prevention program.