A Study on the Intervention Effect of Therapeutic Horticulture Based on the Healing System on Non-suicidal Self-injury in Adolescent Patients With Depression

NCT07115381 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: (2025) No. (015)
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 66
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Depression

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• The level and frequency of non-suicidal self-injury

  The adolescent self-harm questionnaire was used to measure.This questionnaire is a self-assessment form, consisting of 19 items. Among them, the frequency of non-suicidal self-injury behavior is scored using the Likert 4-point scale: "0 times" is scored 0 points, "1 time" is scored 1 point, "2-4 times" is scored 2 points, and "5 times or more" is scored 3 points. The degree of physical harm caused is scored using the Likert 5-point scale: "No" is scored 0 points, "Mild" is scored 1 point, "Moderate" is scored 2 points, "Severe" is scored 3 points, and "Extremely severe" is scored 4 points. NSSI equivalence is equal to the product of the NSSI frequency score and the NSSI severity score. The higher the score, the more severe the condition.

  Day 1 and Day 14

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• depressive symptom

  Day 1 and Day 14

• sleep quality

  Day 1 and Day 14

• alexithymia

  Day 1 and Day 14

• loneliness

  Day 1 and Day 14

• self-efficacy

  Day 1 and Day 14

Study Arms (2)

Control group

OTHER

Routine treatment and nursing

Other: Routine treatment and nursing

Therapeutic Horticulture group

EXPERIMENTAL

Routine treatment and nursing and Therapeutic Horticulture

Behavioral: Therapeutic Horticulture; Other: Routine treatment and nursing

Interventions

Therapeutic Horticulture BEHAVIORAL

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.

Therapeutic Horticulture group

Routine treatment and nursing OTHER

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.

Control group; Therapeutic Horticulture group

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• 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.

You may not qualify if:

• 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.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Lei Huang: lead

Study Sites (1)

The Affiliated Brain Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University

Guangzhou, China

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depression

Interventions

Horticultural Therapy; Nursing

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Professional Practice; Organization and Administration; Health Services Administration

Study Officials

• Zhichun Xia

  The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Central Study Contacts

Lei Huang, bachelor degree

CONTACT

0086-13660135023; huanglei8126@163.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: nurse

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 4, 2025
• First Posted: August 11, 2025
• Study Start: February 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Last Updated: December 30, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CN (1)