The purpose of the research was to analyze the effects of a peer-peer Depression Outreach Program (DORA), a college program offering a peer to peer approach to depression in an attempt to ensure the mental wellness of the affected individuals ( Funkhouser, Zakriski, & Spoltore, 2017) .
According to the research, the dependent variable is the depression outreach affecting the college students while the independent variables are the methods implemented by the program to help the victims respond to the crisis effectively. They include educational videos, student workbooks and structured groups led by a peer health educator together with college counseling center professionals. The independent variables are aimed at providing a platform for depressed students to acquire treatment.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
During the study, a total of 56 students took part in either the DORA program or the control program for assessment ( Funkhouser, Zakriski, & Spoltore, 2017) . The data from 4 students who had formerly watched the DORA video were omitted from the analysis. The participants were requested to read a vignette portraying depressed male peer exhibiting suicide risk factors ( Funkhouser, Zakriski, & Spoltore, 2017) . They were required to give open-ended responses about how they would react to a similar situation. Two trained raters then coded the responses. The DORA video required the participants to state any behavioral changes exhibited by the man, express concerns for his wellbeing and to put forth suggestions of seeking a mental health expert. The task aimed to identify any demographic differences between the DORA and the control participants.
The researchers concluded that the DORA participants were in a better position to respond to crisis and exhibited less desire for social distances from a distressed peer. The control participants had a less understanding of how to respond effectively to a peer in crisis. The results proved that the Depression Outreach Program had a significant impact in addressing the desired social distance from a peer at risk of suicide and in providing knowledge about depression ( Funkhouser, Zakriski, & Spoltore, 2017) . The video addressed specific concerns that the peers might have had about making referrals and shared first-person accounts from the students.
References
Funkhouser, C. J., Zakriski, A. L., & Spoltore, J. D. (2017). Evaluating Peer-Peer Depression Outreach: College Students Helping Peers Approach and Respond to Students in Crisis. Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research , 22 (1).
