Break Free from Depression: Implementation and Outcomes of a School-Based Depression Awareness Program

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of Break Free from Depression (BFFD), a school-based depression awareness curriculum, in comparison to a wait list control group. A total of 13 eighth grade classrooms participated in either an intervention or control group and completed pre-, post-, and three-month follow-up surveys. Students participating in BFFD (N = 6 classrooms, 166 students) demonstrated enhanced knowledge of and more adaptive attitudes towards depression compared to the control group (N = 7 classrooms, 155 students). Participants in the BFFD intervention also demonstrated increases in their confidence in knowing how to seek help for depression and in their intent to seek this help if needed. Slight decreases were found at a three-month follow-up in all scales except for intent to seek help. BFFD was effective regardless of gender, ethnicity, or identification as a member of the LGBTQ community. There was a delayed effect on measured constructs for Black students with gains apparent at three-month follow-up. The findings demonstrated that BFFD had a small but significant positive impact on students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes in seeking support for themselves and for others when faced with signs of depression. The implementation of depression awareness curricula in schools hold promise in promoting student mental health, and it is important to consider factors that might have an impact on outcomes.