Use of the COPE Intervention for Depressed Adolescents

Depression disorders often present during adolescence. Depression can lead to difficulties with relationships, problems in school, and associated high risk behaviors. The goal is to identify and treat depression as soon as possible. The purpose of this project is to implement a cognitive– behavioral based intervention called Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment (COPE) to depressed adolescents. Previously, the COPE program has been implemented in outpatient and school settings. This intervention was implemented to adolescents in an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility were evaluated. Twenty-five adolescents, majority female, ages 12-18 participated in this project. The participants completed all seven sessions of the COPE intervention. They received this intervention along with their normal treatment regimen during their inpatient stay at the hospital. The adolescents received a pre- and post-evaluation using Beck\u27s Depression Inventory-2nd Edition and the Personal Belief Scale. Both the adolescents and the staff that helped with recruitment completed an evaluation at the end of the project. Data analysis was performed using SPSS with descriptive statistics and t-tests. Results showed there was a significant difference between the pre- and post-evaluations, showing improved depression scores and better confidence to manage and cope with stress. The evaluations of the project were positive. The participants found the program helpful and would recommend the program to others. The staff thought the program appeared easy to use and had heard positive feedback from the participants. The results are limited due to the small sample size and the inability to control for the other treatment modalities the adolescents were receiving during their inpatient stay