Supplementing Inpatient Behavioral Activation Group Psychotherapy

NCT07611916 | Enrolling By Invitation

• 1 other identifier: Pro2025000588
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a behavioral activation intervention designed for adults hospitalized on an inpatient psychiatric unit. The intervention includes two connected components: (1) a brief inpatient behavioral activation group delivered during hospitalization by unit staff (which is delivered to everyone as part of standard clinical care and not considered part of the study) and (2) a smartphone application that supports behavioral activation skills practice during the first 28 days after discharge. Behavioral activation is a psychological treatment that aims to increase engagement in meaningful and rewarding activities and reduce patterns of avoidance that can worsen mental health symptoms. The intervention was designed specifically for the short length of stay and group-based structure typical of psychiatric inpatient care in the United States. Participants will be recruited from an adult inpatient psychiatric unit at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care. The study uses an open trial design where there is no control group. Participants in the intervention condition will receive the behavioral activation group plus access to the smartphone application after discharge. Participants will complete self-report assessments during hospitalization and throughout a 6-month follow-up period. During the first 28 days after discharge, participants will also complete smartphone-based ecological momentary assessments multiple times per day. Outcomes include depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, functioning, behavioral activation, emergency department visits, psychiatric readmission, outpatient treatment engagement, and intervention feasibility and acceptability.

Conditions

Suicide Ideation; Depressed

Keywords

ecological momentary intervention; suicide; behavioral activation; depression; inpatient

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Behavioral activation measured using the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS)

  The Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS) is a self-report measure assessing engagement in goal-directed and rewarding activities, avoidance behaviors, and functional impairment associated with depression. Scores on the activation subscale and total scale will be used to assess changes in behavioral activation over time. Higher activation scores indicate greater engagement in adaptive activities, whereas higher avoidance scores indicate greater behavioral avoidance.

  From enrollment until the end of the three-month follow-up period

• Depressive symptoms measured using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Depression Scale

  The PROMIS Depression Scale is a self-report measure assessing negative mood, decreased positive affect, and other symptoms associated with depression. Scores are converted to standardized T-scores, with higher scores indicating greater depressive symptom severity. Changes in PROMIS Depression scores across the follow-up period will be compared between study conditions.

  From enrollment until the end of the three-month follow-up period

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Suicide-related cognitions measured using the Suicide Cognitions Scale (SCS)

  From enrollment until the end of the three-month follow-up period

Study Arms (1)

Treatment as usual (TAU) + ecological momentary intervention (EMI)

EXPERIMENTAL

The intervention consists of a mobile app that allows skills practice after discharge, which maps on to the behavioral activation content delivered during the inpatient stay.

Behavioral: Behavioral Activation

Interventions

Behavioral Activation BEHAVIORAL

This intervention has a mobile app that corresponds to the treatment received during the inpatient stay, which has not been done before.

Treatment as usual (TAU) + ecological momentary intervention (EMI)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey: lead

Study Sites (1)

Rutgers University Behavioral Healthcare

Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Consciousness Disorders; Suicide; Depression

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Neurocognitive Disorders; Mental Disorders; Self-Injurious Behavior; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

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: Associate Professor

Model Details: Open pilot where all participants receive the study app.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 21, 2026
• First Posted: May 28, 2026
• Study Start: April 22, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): April 30, 2027
• Last Updated: May 28, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)