Shaping Actions and Responses to Emotions

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Depression in Adolescence, Adverse Childhood Experiences

In brief

The primary objective of this research is to examine two brief interventions for depression, Behavioral Activation (BA), and Problem Solving Therapy (PST), to investigate whether exposure to adverse childhood experiences influences change in the hypothesized target treatment mechanisms linked to each intervention. Research suggests that the treatment targets of BA (reward processing) may be well-matched for youths exposed to childhood adversity, due to disruptions in reward that are linked with adversity exposure. The investigators will examine the effects of youths' adverse life experiences on change in reward-related treatment targets in BA, and compare this to change in the treatment targets of PST, executive functioning processes. The first aim is to investigate the effects of childhood adversity on change in target treatment mechanisms in BA and PST. The second aim is to test whether changes in reward processes is specific to BA, and not PST, among youths exposed to adversity. The third aim is to test the match of BA for depression among youths exposed to adversity, by examining whether BA results in greater reductions in depression symptoms among youths with greater adversity exposure. The investigators will also test whether greater change in reward in associated with greater depression symptom reductions in BA, and not PST.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT04719949

Run by

University of Pittsburgh

People needed

42

Starts

2021-02-09

Expected to finish

2023-09-30

Last updated by the study team

2023-10-10

Who can join

Age: 12 and older, up to 15. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Elevated depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 7, confirmed by clinician rating on the Depression Rating scale)
• IQ (Intelligence Quotient) ≥ 70

You may not qualify if…

• Intellectual Disability, Pervasive Developmental Delay, or Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Bipolar Disorder
• Substance dependence or abuse
• History of psychosis
• Medical illness affecting measurement of cognitive and behavioral processes

Where it is running

• Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.