Sydney, July 24 - School-based programmes could help curb the amount of anti-depressants being prescribed to students, says a new study.

School counsellor Mark Taylor of University of Queensland (UQ) found that symptoms of depression could be reduced by teaching students the skills of conflict resolution and positive thinking and encouraging exercise.

'Working in a school setting as a counsellor I became concerned about the number of students who were being prescribed anti-depressants, without what I considered to be enough effort to find out what was going on in the lives of these students,' Taylor said.

'I wanted to substantiate that there are viable alternatives to anti-depressants which can significantly reduce depressive symptoms,' he said.