Telehealth Behavioral Activation for Teens
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Behavioral Activation.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Depression, Suicide and Self-harm, Depression in Adolescence, Depression Mild. Basic parameters: 12 years — 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Overview
Behavioral activation is one such empirically supported intervention. Derived from cognitive-behavioral therapy, a well-established treatment for depression, behavioral activation uses psychoeducation and skill-building to increase an individual's engagement in valued and enjoyable activities (e.g., socializing with family and friends, exercising, participating in a hobby) in order to improve depressive symptoms. Research has shown that behavioral activation is an effective intervention for depressed youth. Additionally, it has been shown as a promising intervention that can be conducted in a brief, virtual format and can be effectively implemented by both trained clinicians and trained, non-licensed interventionists. This project will provide Behavioral Activation for youth (12-17) experiencing depression or suicidal ideation who are currently enrolled in the Youth Depression Suicide Network study in Texas.
Detailed description
Rates of youth depression and suicide are rising worldwide and present a critical public health problem. Between 2007 and 2018, rates of fatal suicide among U.S. youth and young adults increased by 57.4%, becoming the second leading cause of all deaths for Americans between the ages of 10 and 34 in 2020. Similarly, between 2009 and 2019, rates of past year major depressive episodes among adolescents in the United States increased from 8.1% to 15.8% (roughly 1 in 6). Despite these high rates of suicide and depression, Texas is rated 51st in access to mental healthcare in the United States. As untreated youth depression tends to persist and has been related to poorer functioning in adulthood, there is a need to increase access to empirically supported treatment for depressed adolescents.
Behavioral activation is one such empirically supported intervention. Derived from cognitive-behavioral therapy, a well-established treatment for depression, behavioral activation uses psychoeducation and skill-building to increase an individual's engagement in valued and enjoyable activities (e.g., socializing with family and friends, exercising, participating in a hobby) in order to improve depressive symptoms. Research has shown that behavioral activation is an effective intervention for depressed youth. Additionally, it has been shown as a promising intervention that can be conducted in a brief, virtual format and can be effectively implemented by both trained clinicians and trained, non-licensed interventionists.
Interventions
- Other Behavioral Activation
All participants will undergo behavioral activation treatment for 8-10 weeks
Primary outcome measures
- Patient Health Questionnaire 9-modified for adolescents (PHQ-A) [Time frame: During treatment (every session (week) 1-10)]
- Behavioral Activation for Depression-Short Form (BAD-SF) [Time frame: During treatment (every session (week) 1-10)]
- Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS) [Time frame: Baseline (before treatment), post-treatment (session/week 11)]
Secondary outcome measures (2)
- Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) [Time frame: Baseline (before treatment), post-treatment (session/week 11)]
- Duke Social Support Index (DSSI) [Time frame: Baseline (before treatment), post-treatment (session/week 11)]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Participants must be enrolled in the Texas Youth Depression Suicide Research Network (TX-YDSRN) Registry Study;
- Be between the ages of 12- 18 or currently enrolled in high school;
- Have a caregiver that is willing to participate in the program;
- Be able to commit to weekly sessions for eight weeks;
- Be currently experiencing depressive symptoms;
- Be able to participate in telehealth services within the state of Texas;
- Be willing to provide consent/assent (parents/legally authorized representative (LAR)/guardian or young adult participant, aged 18 or older, must be willing to provide consent; youth, aged 12-17, must be willing to provide assent);
- Be able to read, write and speak English or Spanish sufficiently to understand the study procedures and provide written informed consent to participate in the study;
- Be willing to dedicate appropriate time to complete scheduled study assessment and measures and attend intervention sessions (both parent/LAR/guardian and youth)
- Be able to provide a reliable means of contact.
Exclusion criteria
- Have an acute medical or psychological condition(s) that that would, in the judgment of the study medical clinician, make participation difficult or unsafe;
- Have an acute medical or psychological condition(s) that would result in an inability to accurately complete study requirements (e.g., neurological conditions or significant neurodevelopmental concerns);
- Have active psychotic or manic symptoms resulting in altered mental status and inability to provide assent or requiring immediate attention and/or higher level of intervention;
- Have a parent/LAR/guardian who is deemed cognitively unable to provide consent (if youth participant, aged 12-17).
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- N/A
- Model
- Single group
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston
Publications
- Anvari MS, Hampton T, Tong MP, Kahn G, Triemstra JD, Magidson JF, Felton JW. Behavioral Activation Disseminated by Non-Mental Health Professionals, Paraprofessionals, and Peers: A Systematic Review. Behav Ther. 2023 May;54(3):524-538. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2022.12.007. Epub 2022 Dec 23. PMID 37088508
- Copeland WE, Alaie I, Jonsson U, Shanahan L. Associations of Childhood and Adolescent Depression With Adult Psychiatric and Functional Outcomes. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2021 May;60(5):604-611. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2020.07.895. Epub 2020 Aug 3. PMID 32758528
- Curtin SC. State Suicide Rates Among Adolescents and Young Adults Aged 10-24: United States, 2000-2018. Natl Vital Stat Rep. 2020 Sep;69(11):1-10. PMID 33054915
- Daly M. Prevalence of Depression Among Adolescents in the U.S. From 2009 to 2019: Analysis of Trends by Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Income. J Adolesc Health. 2022 Mar;70(3):496-499. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.08.026. Epub 2021 Oct 16. PMID 34663534
- Garnett MF, Curtin SC, Stone DM. Suicide Mortality in the United States, 2000-2020. NCHS Data Brief. 2022 Mar;(433):1-8. PMID 35312475
- Kanter JW, Manos RC, Bowe WM, Baruch DE, Busch AM, Rusch LC. What is behavioral activation? A review of the empirical literature. Clin Psychol Rev. 2010 Aug;30(6):608-20. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2010.04.001. PMID 20677369
- Lebrun-Harris LA, Ghandour RM, Kogan MD, Warren MD. Five-Year Trends in US Children's Health and Well-being, 2016-2020. JAMA Pediatr. 2022 Jul 1;176(7):e220056. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.0056. Epub 2022 Jul 5. PMID 35285883
- McCauley E, Gudmundsen G, Schloredt K, Martell C, Rhew I, Hubley S, Dimidjian S. The Adolescent Behavioral Activation Program: Adapting Behavioral Activation as a Treatment for Depression in Adolescence. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2016;45(3):291-304. doi: 10.1080/15374416.2014.979933. Epub 2015 Jan 20. PMID 25602170
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06273995 · H-54233