Prevention of depression comprises the strategies and interventions intended to reduce the incidence, recurrence, and severity of depressive disorders before they become established or before relapse occurs. It is typically organised along a continuum: universal approaches directed at whole populations, selective ap…
Prevention of depression comprises the strategies and interventions intended to reduce the incidence, recurrence, and severity of depressive disorders before they become established or before relapse occurs. It is typically organised along a continuum: universal approaches directed at whole populations, selective approaches targeting groups at elevated risk, and indicated approaches for individuals showing early or subclinical symptoms. Preventive efforts work by strengthening protective factors, such as coping skills, social connection, meaning, and the pursuit of personally significant goals, and by modifying recognised risk factors, including chronic stress, isolation, substance use, and adverse life circumstances. Closely allied is the prevention of suicidal behaviour, and programmes in this area include those built around the realisation of meaningful personal goals and the reduction of suicidal ideation, reflecting the strong link between depression and suicide risk. Understanding which symptoms are core and activating within depression, as revealed by network analyses across populations, informs where prevention can be most effectively targeted. Significance lies in the substantial burden of depression and evidence that timely intervention can avert onset and recurrence. Principal sub-areas include universal, selective, and indicated prevention, psychological and skills-based programmes, the modification of risk and protective factors, early identification of subthreshold symptoms, and relapse-prevention strategies that sustain recovery.
7 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 7 articles above have been cited 32 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Prevention of Depression, linking to each citing work.