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Universal Prevention of Anxiety and Depression in a Recreational Camp Setting: An Initial Open Trial

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Abstract

Anxiety and depressive disorders may pose a long-term, deleterious impact on youth, prompting a need for early and effective prevention of such concerns. A growing body of research has examined universal prevention programs targeting these emotional disorders in childhood. While most universal prevention programs are offered within the school setting, there is also a rationale for developing and investigating prevention programs within novel settings, including a recreational context. This initial investigation utilized the Emotion Detectives Prevention Program (EDPP), a universal prevention protocol focusing on anxiety and depression symptoms within a recreational summer camp. The aims of this pilot study were to assess the EDPP’s feasibility and participant satisfaction following its initial administration in a camp setting. Forty children (ages 7–10 years, 70.7% male) were recruited from an existent recreational sports camp and participated in a non-randomized, open trial of the EDPP. The EDPP, a 15-session program, presents cognitive-behavioral strategies in a manner that emphasizes strategy applicability across a range of emotional experiences. Participating children reported a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms at post–prevention. No significant change in depression symptoms or other emotion regulation indices were reported. Moderate to high participant satisfaction was indicated. The EDPP appears to be a feasible program for the prevention of child-reported anxiety symptoms in a camp setting. Given the novelty of the prevention context, issues inherent in the conduct of research in a recreational camp setting and future directions for research in this setting are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of Krystyna Ahlers, Jessica Alvarez, Rhonda DuBord, Ashley Falcon, Sara Klaben, Ryan Landoll, Elizabeth Penela, Alexander Queen, Nicole Schoenherr, Gregory Simpson, Thomas Soria, Carolyn Snell, Tanya Tran and Rita Zeiden regarding the conduct of this investigation and Lindsay Stewart for her comments on a previous draft of this manuscript.

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  1. Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Room 315, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA

    Jill Ehrenreich-May & Emily L. Bilek

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  1. Jill Ehrenreich-May
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  2. Emily L. Bilek
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Correspondence to Jill Ehrenreich-May.

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Ehrenreich-May, J., Bilek, E.L. Universal Prevention of Anxiety and Depression in a Recreational Camp Setting: An Initial Open Trial. Child Youth Care Forum 40, 435–455 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-011-9148-4

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