A Study on the Intervention Effect of Therapeutic Horticulture Based on the Healing System on Non-suicidal Self-injury in Adolescent Patients With Depression
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: Therapeutic Horticulture, Routine treatment and nursing.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Depression. 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
- China
- 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
Non-suicidal self-harm is a serious issue. Adolescents with depression are among the high-risk groups for non-suicidal self-harm behavior. Therapeutic gardening uses plant cultivation and corresponding gardening activities as the medium of action, allowing patients to obtain therapeutic benefits by participating in gardening activities such as planting, maintaining, and harvesting plants. Therefore, this study will apply therapeutic gardening based on the healing system to adolescents with depression who have non-suicidal self-harm behavior, in order to improve their non-suicidal self-harm behavior, negative emotions, emotional expression disorders, self-efficacy, sleep quality, and loneliness.
Detailed description
Based on the theories of positive psychology and the healing system theory framework, referring to relevant domestic and foreign literature and consulting books such as "Introduction to Horticultural Therapy", "Horticultural Rehabilitation Therapy Techniques", and "Horticultural Therapy: Growing Good Health for the Body and Mind", an intervention plan was formulated under the guidance of experts. A randomized controlled trial design was adopted. It is planned to carry out therapeutic horticulture based on the healing system for adolescent patients with depression who have non-suicidal self-harming behaviors, according to the intervention plan. By evaluating and comparing the changes and differences in indicators such as non-suicidal self-harming behaviors, emotions, physical functions, skills, and social interaction of the experimental group and the control group before and after the intervention, the actual effect of therapeutic horticulture based on the healing system in reducing the occurrence of non-suicidal self-harming behaviors among adolescent patients was verified. Finally, data analysis and paper writing were conducted.
Interventions
- Behavioral Therapeutic Horticulture
Therapeutic Horticulture uses plant cultivation and related gardening activities as the medium of action, allowing patients to participate in gardening activities such as planting, maintenance, and harvesting of plants. - Other Routine treatment and nursing
The conventional treatment mainly involves the use of antidepressant drugs, supplemented by physical therapy, psychological therapy, and rehabilitation training, etc. The routine care includes admission introduction, health education (manifestations, hazards, treatment methods of depression and non-suicidal self-harm, as well as the importance of following medical advice for treatment), medication guidance, discharge guidance, and psychological care, etc.
Primary outcome measures
- The level and frequency of non-suicidal self-injury [Time frame: Day 1 and Day 14]
Secondary outcome measures (5)
- depressive symptom [Time frame: Day 1 and Day 14]
- sleep quality [Time frame: Day 1 and Day 14]
- alexithymia [Time frame: Day 1 and Day 14]
- loneliness [Time frame: Day 1 and Day 14]
- self-efficacy [Time frame: Day 1 and Day 14]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- It meets the diagnostic criteria for moderate to severe depression in the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
- It meets the diagnostic criteria for non-suicidal self-harm in the Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
- The patients and their guardians gave informed consent and voluntarily participated in this study.
- Have normal reading comprehension ability, language communication ability and writing ability.
Exclusion criteria
- Include mental disorders such as mental retardation, autism spectrum disorder, stereotyped movement disorder with self-harm, etc.
- Have had or currently have central nervous system diseases, endocrine system diseases, and other serious physical disorders.
- Are currently receiving or have received any form of systematic horticultural therapy within the past 3 months.
- Have allergic reactions to pollen, soil, or other substances that may be encountered during the intervention process.
- Have a risk of suicide and suicidal behavior.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
China · 1 center
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University — Guangzhou
Publications
- Huang L, Hong TD, Liang SC, Huang ZJ, Liang YX, Shen LF, Xia ZC. The effect of therapeutic horticulture on non-suicidal self-injury in adolescents with major depressive disorder: protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Front Psychiatry. 2026 Jun 4;17:1790759. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1790759. eCollection 2026. PMID 42325965
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07115381 · (2025) No. (015)