Depression
Conditions
Keywords
Computerised Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Adolescents, Depression, Low Mood
Brief summary
This study forms the second phase of previous work to examine the effectiveness of computerised Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (cCBT) to treat adolescents with low mood/depression. Depression affects around 2% of adolescents. Antidepressants are not recommended for this age range as a first line treatment because of concerns about their usefulness and side effects. Government guidelines have supported using Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), which is effective and one of the main treatments recommended for depression. It has been suggested that computerised versions of CBT (cCBT) may be effective for treating depression in young people who may prefer this to seeing a therapist face-to-face, but little research exists to date to support this. This study examines the feasibility of running a large scale randomised controlled trial (RCT) to compare a promising cCBT program (Stressbusters) with self-help websites for adolescents with low mood and depression (LMD). Eligible and consenting participants will complete several questionnaires to assess their mood before being randomly assigned to either cCBT (Stressbusters) or equivalent access to selected websites providing self help for LMD. Participants will complete further mood questionnaires 4 and 12 months after treatment completion/withdrawal. We have already recruited 97 individuals to this trial but aim to recruit a further 48 participants to collect further information. We are also keen to find out whether sending participants text messages before sessions and around follow up periods will increase attendance/completion. Therefore all trial participants will receive text messages from the research team during their participation.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALStressbusters
cCBT
BEHAVIORALWebsites
Self help websites
Sponsors
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
12 Years to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* 12 to 18 years * Low mood/depression * co-morbid physical illness or co-morbid non-psychotic functional disorders, such as anxiety
Exclusion criteria
* Suicidality * Postnatally depressed * Suffering psychotic symptoms
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Changes on the Short Beck Depression Inventory from baseline to 4 and 12 months follow up | baseline, 4 months follow up, 12 months follow up |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Changes on the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale from baseline to 4 and 12 months follow up | Baseline, 4 months follow up and 12 months follow up |
| Changes in health status measured by the EQ-5D-Y from baseline to 4 and 12 months follow up | Baseline, 4 months follow up, 12 months follow up |
| Changes in health status measured by the HUI2 from baseline to 4 and 12 months follow up | Baseline, 4 months follow up and 12 months follow up |
| The number of health services used by participants between baseline, 4 months and 12 months follow up | Baseline, 4 months follow up, 12 months follow up |
| Changes on the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire from baseline to 4 and 12 months follow up | Baseline, 4 months follow up, 12 months follow up |
| The Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire | up to 8 weeks |
Other
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Number of inpatient admissions during trial participation | 12 months |
| Further mental health support received during trial participation | 12 months |
| Number of self-harm episodes during trial participation | 12 months |
Countries
United Kingdom
Outcome results
None listed