Core Components

The Blues Programme is a targeted intervention that aims to prevent the development of depression, and reduce early signs of depression in young people aged 13-19 years. The school-based manualised programme is designed to enhance young person’s emotional wellbeing by teaching coping strategies and cognitive restructuring techniques. This is expected to help build resilience, challenge negative thinking, reduce anxious thoughts, lessen depressive symptoms, and improve mood.

The Blues programme is delivered by trained Blues specialists from Action for Children, UK. These specialists identify young people included into this programme using the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) tool. Young people with elevated depressive scores (i.e. adolescents who suffer from, or are at risk of depression) are invited to participate in the programme.

The programme is typically delivered over six weeks, with one session delivered weekly over a double period (i.e. 60-minutes). Groups are preferably single-gender, with about 8-10 young people in each group. The sessions focus on building group rapport, promoting participation in physical activities, boosting cognitive restructuring techniques, and developing positive responses for life stressors. Students are also given home practise assignments to reinforce the taught skills, and promote use of these skills in their everyday lives. Individual make-up sessions (lasting 10-15 minutes) are offered to students who miss previous sessions. Make-up sessions are delivered before the next group session, and involve review of past home assignment; discussion of key concepts from the missed session; and completion of new home assignment. The Blues programme also uses motivation enhancing exercises to increase participants’ desire to use their new skills; behavioural strategies to enhance the use of their new skills; self-presentation to increase internalisation of programme key principles; and group activities to promote feelings of social support and group unity. One parent information workshop session delivered over 1.5 hours is typically made available if required or requested. Parent sessions provide information about the blues programme and also equip parents with strategies to apply in their own lives.

The Blues programme is not suitable for young people with current major depression or suicidal ideation. These persons should be referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

Fidelity

Programme fidelity is evaluated through the following measures:

1. Use of structured session-by-session programme manual
2. Completion of protocol adherence form by group facilitator (for self-evaluation) or by supervisor. Adherence forms are unique to each session
3. Completion of practitioner competence assessment form after each session. Form is completed by group facilitator (for self-evaluation) or by supervisor
4. Monthly practitioner supervision provided by supervisors from Action for Children

Modifiable Components

The Blues programme was developed in USA, so the words/ language used during programme delivery may be altered to enhance understanding of UK participants.