Youth stress, support, coping skills and depression: Developing a model for primary prevention in the high schools

This study examined the needs and resources of Galt Collegiate Institute and the City of Cambridge in order to develop a primary prevention program for adolescent stress, support, and coping skills. Two hundred and ten high school students (grade 9 to OAC) completed an adolescent experiences questionnaire including measures on daily hassles, social support, coping skills, depression, and affect. As well, ten individuals from the community completed an interview focusing on program ideas and available resources. Multiple regression analyses of the student data revealed that hassles were directly related to negative affect and depression, and coping skills were directly related to the positive affect and inversely related to depression. Social support was directly related to positive affect and inversely related to depression while positive affect was inversely related to depression. There were also significant gender and age differences in stress, support, coping, affect and depression which are discussed. Overall, the results indicate that there is a need for adolescent prevention programs in the Cambridge area. A model for a primary prevention program for high school students is discussed in relation to the results of the present study.