Journal of Psychiatry

Developing the app je happy app for excessive co-ruminating adolescent girls: An intervention mapping approach

International Conference and Expo on Mental health and Care

July 27, 2022 | Webinar

Patricia Vuijk

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Psychiatry

Abstract:

Depression: prevalence and risks • Depressive symptoms and depressive disorders are highly prevalent in adolescence (disorders: 5%; elevated symptoms: 25%) • Associated with higher risk of failure to complete secondary school, unemployment, pregnancy and early parenthood, feelings of lonelineness and lower perceived support and lower odds of entering postsecondary education or being employed/ in tertiary training • Increased risk of prolonged and fullblown depression into adulthood and anxiety and substance use disorders² • Societal costs subclinical depressive symptoms: 42 million annually • Girls > boys depression (symptoms) • Girls > boys disease burden Target for prevention: excessive co-rumination • Co-rumination = interpersonal, dyadic emotion regulation process • Intense focus on distress, uncertainty whether problems or worries will be solved and a sense of hopelessness about own coping strategies • Important risk factor for the development of depressive symptoms and disorders during adolescence • Only excessive dwelling on negative affect related to depressive symptoms in the first worldwide observation study Why are girls the focus of prevention efforts? • Girls > boys co-rumination • Girls > boys susceptible to co-rumination impact on depression development because of specific interand intrapersonal factors: higher-quality friendships, higher levels of empathetic distress, more excessive reassurance seeking, more negative feedback, more conversational self-focus Results/working mechanisms • Behavioral activation • Practising optimism: mood tracker & diary • Reflections on dynamics between behavioral activation, practicing optimism & emotion regulation within dyadic conversations through school-based lessons.

Biography :

Dr. Patricia Vuijk has been a lecturer in Girls and Mental Well-being at the Talent Development and Care Innovation Knowledge Centers since 2013. Together with her research group, she conducts research into preventive solutions to be able to bend risky development paths to psychopathology in children and young people into healthy development paths. Experienced Board Member with a demonstrated history of working in the professional training & coaching industry. Skilled in Developmental Psychology, Epidemiology, Research Design, Lecturing, and Educational Technology.