ABC School Intervention Among Ugandan Adolescents

NCT06957925 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: MUREC 0501-2023
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 2,598
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

Schools can be pivotal in addressing mental health challenges, especially in low-income settings like Uganda. This pilot cluster-randomized trial examines the impact of a culturally sensitive Act-Belong-Commit (ACT) intervention, combined with physical activity, sleep hygiene and stress management measures on anxiety and depression among Ugandan adolescents attending secondary school. Adolescents from four secondary schools were randomized by school to either a 12-week, weekly two-hour teacher- and peer-led ACT intervention or a care-as-usual control. Anxiety (GAD-7) and depression (PHQ-9-A) were measured at baseline and immediately post-intervention. Childhood trauma (CTQ-SF), self-reported health, wealth, and food security were assessed at baseline. Linear mixed modeling was used to evaluate intervention effects.

Conditions

Anxiety; Depression Disorders

Keywords

act; belong; commit; adolescents; Uganda; anxiety; depression; physical activity; sleep

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Patient Health Questionnaire -9

  2 weeks

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 7

  2 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Patient Health Questionnaire -9

  2 weeks

Study Arms (2)

ABC

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: educational

Care as usual

NO INTERVENTION

Interventions

educational BEHAVIORAL

Teachers were provided with a manual that could be implemented in a flexible way adapted to the local context of the school consisting of six sessions. The manual assisted teachers to prepare students for success in understanding what is a good mental health (session 1), how to optimize and maintain good mental health, with a particular focus on being mentally, spiritually, socially and physically active including coping with stressors via breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation techniques (session 2), physical activity participation (session 3) and sleep hygiene measures (session 4), the importance of belongingness and commitment (session 5), and how to seek support including peer support, community engagement and existing local services (session 6). The first 6 sessions were facilitated by the teacher, and the next 6 by peers.

ABC

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 14 Years - 17 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• All students aged 14 to 17 years in the four schools were screened for depression and anxiety using the Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 (PHQ-9) (Spitzer et al., 1999) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 7 (GAD-7) (Spitzer et al., 2006) as part of school health screening service embedded within the study.

You may not qualify if:

• None

Sponsors & Collaborators

• KU Leuven: lead

Study Sites (2)

School

Gulu, Uganda

Location

School

Masaka, Uganda

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Anxiety Disorders; Deafness, Autosomal Dominant 20; Depression; Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mental Disorders; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Masked for group allocation
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Model Details: pilot cluster-randomized trial

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 27, 2025
• First Posted: May 6, 2025
• Study Start: May 12, 2023
• Primary Completion: May 12, 2023
• Study Completion: May 11, 2024
• Last Updated: May 6, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

UG (2)