Intervention Based on Implicit Theories of Personality: Effects on Depression and Bullying
Condition: Depression; Bullying
MeSH terms: Depression; Depressive Disorder; Bullying
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study evaluates the efficacy of an intervention based on the Implicit Theories of
      Personality (ITP) in Spanish adolescents. Half of participants received the ITP intervention,
      while the other half received an educational intervention.
    

Detailed description: 
      Depression and bullying are two problems arising in childhood and adolescence, which cause
      severe suffering. Although there are good intervention programs for children and adolescents
      at risk, the results for universal interventions have generally been poor. The current
      project will test the efficacy of an Intervention based on the Implicit Theories of
      Personality (ITP). This procedure has recently been developed at US by David S. Yeager and
      colleagues, with extraordinary results in the reduction of depression, stress, and
      aggression. The project includes the following aims: (1) the evaluation of the efficacy of
      the ITP on depressive symptoms (Study 1) and aggressive behavior (Study 2) in Spanish
      adolescents; (2) to test whether the intervention changes biological and cognitive variables;
      (3) to identify whether development and sex moderates the effects of the intervention; and
      (4) to test whether temperament moderates the effect of the intervention. The study involves
      the evaluation of the intervention in a sample of around 900 adolescents (12-18 years),
      randomly allocated to experimental and control condition. It is a field experiment conducted
      in high schools and involves multiple measures over time (self-reports and parent reports; as
      well as levels of cortisol, testosterone and DHEA in saliva in a subset -50%- of the
      participants). In summary, the project aims to respond to the challenge of health and
      wellness in the population through a randomized controlled trial with multiple sources of
      measure and from a biopsychosocial perspective. The ITP intervention has the potential to
      become a universal intervention to help reduce the rates of depression and bullying.
    

Intervention name(s): Incremental theory of personality; Educational Intervention
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Other
Intervention description(s): The experimental intervention (originally developed by David S. Yeager and colleagues) teaches that individuals have the potential to change. It has three main parts. First, participants are asked to read scientific studies that provide evidence that behaviors are controlled by "thoughts and feelings in brains," and that pathways in the brain have the potential to be changed under the right circumstances. Second, participants read several testimonials purportedly written by upperclassmen to bring credibility to the ITP. Finally, participants are asked to write their own version of such a narrative. This self-persuasive writing exercise has been shown to facilitate the internalization of the intervention message, building on a long line of research on cognitive dissonance.; The educational intervention involved scientific information about the human brain. It was designed to be parallel to the experimental intervention and, hence, it has also three main parts. First, participants are asked to read scientific information about the different areas of the brain and their specialties. Second, participants read several testimonials written by upperclassmen about their transition to high school and how their brains help them to adapt to the new space and all the physical differences of the building and the classes. Finally, participants are asked to write a letter to another student explaining the main things he or she has learned about the brain and thinks are important for adapting to the new physical environment in high school.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio blocked by gender to one of two groups: experimental condition (ITP intervention) versus control condition (educational intervention) in parallel for the duration of the study.
Masking: Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Adolescence; Prevention; Emotional disorders; Aggressive behavior