Telehealth Behavioral Activation for Teens

NCT06273995 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: H-54233
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 250
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Depression; Suicide and Self-harm; Depression in Adolescence; Depression Mild; Depression Moderate; Depression Severe

Keywords

behavioral activation; depression; adolescents

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Patient Health Questionnaire 9-modified for adolescents (PHQ-A)

  Depression; 4-point Likert scale (0= Not at all; 3= Nearly every day), Score range 0-27 (higher scores indicate greater depression severity)

  During treatment (every session (week) 1-10)

• Behavioral Activation for Depression-Short Form (BAD-SF)

  Behavioral Activation; 6-point Likert scale (0= Not al all; 6= Completely), Score range 0-54 (higher scores indicate higher activation)

  During treatment (every session (week) 1-10)

• Dimensional Anhedonia Rating Scale (DARS)

  Anhedonia; 5-point Likert scale (0= Not at all; 4= Very much), Score range 0- 68 (higher scores indicate less anhedonia)

  Baseline (before treatment), post-treatment (session/week 11)

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)

  Baseline (before treatment), post-treatment (session/week 11)

• Duke Social Support Index (DSSI)

  Baseline (before treatment), post-treatment (session/week 11)

Study Arms (1)

Behavioral Activation (BA)

EXPERIMENTAL

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

Other: Behavioral Activation

Interventions

Behavioral Activation OTHER

All participants will undergo behavioral activation treatment for 8-10 weeks

Behavioral Activation (BA)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 12 Years - 18 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• 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.

You may not qualify if:

• 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).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Baylor College of Medicine: lead
• University of Texas: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Baylor College of Medicine

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

RECRUITING

Related Publications (12)

• 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 BACKGROUND

• 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 BACKGROUND

• 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 BACKGROUND

• 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 BACKGROUND

• Garnett MF, Curtin SC, Stone DM. Suicide Mortality in the United States, 2000-2020. NCHS Data Brief. 2022 Mar;(433):1-8.

  PMID: 35312475 BACKGROUND

• 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 BACKGROUND

• 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 BACKGROUND

• 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 BACKGROUND

• Reinert, M, Fritze, D. & Nguyen, T. (2021). "The State of Mental Health in America 2022"

  BACKGROUND

• Ritschel, L. A., Ramirez, C. L., Cooley, J. L., & Craighead, W. E. (2016). Behavioral activation for major depression in adolescents: Results from a pilot study. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 23, 39-57. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpsp.12140

  BACKGROUND

• Trombello JM, South C, Sanchez A, Kahalnik F, Kennard BD, Trivedi MH. Two Trajectories of Depressive Symptom Reduction Throughout Behavioral Activation Teletherapy Among Underserved, Ethnically Diverse, Primary Care Patients: A VitalSign6 Report. Behav Ther. 2020 Nov;51(6):958-971. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2020.01.002. Epub 2020 Jan 11.

  PMID: 33051037 BACKGROUND

• Uphoff E, Ekers D, Robertson L, Dawson S, Sanger E, South E, Samaan Z, Richards D, Meader N, Churchill R. Behavioural activation therapy for depression in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 Jul 6;7(7):CD013305. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013305.pub2.

  PMID: 32628293 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depression; Suicide; Self-Injurious Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Emily Bivins, B.S.

CONTACT

713-798-1709; emily.bivins@bcm.edu

Eric Storch, Ph.D.

CONTACT

(713) 798-3579; eric.storch@bcm.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Model Details: Single group, open-label behavioral activation

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 13, 2024
• First Posted: February 23, 2024
• Study Start: March 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2029
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2029
• Last Updated: July 20, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-07

Locations

US (1)