Primary Prevention in Middle School: Evaluating the Erika's Lighthouse 7th & 8th Grade Program
A peer-reviewed quasi-experimental study published in the International Journal of School Social Work evaluating the efficacy of the Erika's Lighthouse Middle School Program on early adolescent depression literacy, adult trust, and help-seeking behaviors.
Key Takeaways
- Proven Knowledge Retention: At a 6-week follow-up, 7th and 8th-grade health students who completed the Erika's Lighthouse program retained a statistically significant amount of new information regarding depression symptoms, stigma, and signs of suicide.
- Increased Trust in Adult Support for Peers: Students demonstrated a highly significant increase in believing that adults at school are effective, helpful resources for a friend experiencing suicidal thoughts.
- Broad Mental Health Literacy Gains: Across 6 open-ended assessment areas, participating students showed statistically significant gains in identifying symptoms, self-care strategies, and warning signs.
- Tailored Tier 1 Intervention for Middle Schools: Confirms that a brief, 3-lesson classroom curriculum featuring authentic teen stories provides accessible primary prevention during critical early adolescent years.
Why This Matters
Adolescents ages 12–17 experience major depression at high rates, yet many do not receive timely treatment due to stigma and a lack of awareness. Middle school is a vital period for early intervention before mental health struggles escalate.
This study provides empirical backing for extending depression education into 7th and 8th-grade classrooms:
- Early Adolescent Focus: Demonstrates that 7th and 8th graders can effectively digest complex concepts surrounding clinical depression, self-care, and peer support.
- Authentic Teen Voices: Utilizes video content featuring diverse, unscripted youth sharing real stories of hope and resilience, which breaks down stigma more effectively than traditional instruction.
- Turn-Key MTSS Tier 1 Tool: Provides middle school health teachers and school mental health staff with an evidence-informed, no-cost curriculum that integrates smoothly into existing wellness classes.
Erika's Lighthouse Works
The evaluation utilized a quasi-experimental pre-post wait-list control design across two suburban Chicago middle schools. Outcome changes were evaluated using standardized psychometric scales alongside open-ended knowledge measures at baseline and a 6-week follow-up:
| Measured Outcome | Key Result |
| Depression Knowledge | Health students showed a significant score increase, while control group change was zero |
| Symptom Identification | Significantly higher ability to identify 5 symptoms, diagnostic timeframe, self-care habits, and suicide warning signs. |
| Help-Seeking Intent | Statistically significant increase in student willingness to seek help from trusted school staff when upset. |
| Trust in Adults | Highly significant increase in viewing school adults as capable, trusted resources for a suicidal peer. |
The Authors
This study represents an academic research collaboration between school social work scholars at Loyola University Chicago and clinical social work leadership at Erika's Lighthouse.
| Researcher | Role / Affiliation |
| Michael S. Kelly, PhD |
Lead Researcher — Professor, School of Social Work, Loyola University Chicago |
Access the Paper
Citation: Kelly, M. S., Kubert, P., & Freed, H. (2020). Teen Depression, Stories of Hope and Health: A Promising Universal School Climate Intervention for Middle School Youth. International Journal of School Social Work, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.4148/2161-4148.1040
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