Building a model for prevention practice: Depression as an example

Preventing mental illness has become increasingly emphasized as a priority for psychologists. Unfortunately, clinicians who want to incorporate preven tion activities into their practice have few available models to guide how they might accomplish such a task. Using the literature on the prevention o f depression, the authors make specific recommendations to clinicians who a re interested in expanding their practice by offering preventive interventi ons in addition to their usual treatment activities. Topics discussed inclu de choosing target populations for the intervention, using a theoretical or ientation to guide the intervention, selecting specific ingredients to incl ude in the intervention, deciding among different intervention modalities, and obtaining financial reimbursement for prevention work. Prevention work can be a novel solution to help meet the unsatisfied needs of patients, cli nicians, and society.