Digital Interventions for Relapse Prevention in Adolescence (DigiTIFF)

University of Oslo

Status: Begins enrollment in 1 month

Conditions: Major Depression Disorder; ANXIETY DISORDERS (or Anxiety and Phobic Neuroses)

Treatments: Behavioral: Transdiagnostic mastery course; Behavioral: Transdiagnostic app intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07346911

870757

Details and patient eligibility

About

Some adolescents experience periods of anxiety and/or depression, and some find that these periods return over time. The purpose of this study is to examine whether digital interventions-where individuals work systematically with their own thoughts and feelings during periods when they feel well-can help them maintain well-being for longer.

The study includes adolescents aged 16-19 who have previously experienced episodes of depression and/or anxiety to a degree that led them to seek help (e.g., from a school nurse, general practitioner, health clinic, or child and adolescent mental health service). Through a research app on their smartphones, participants complete tasks and answer questionnaires. The study is fully digital. Some participants meet with a therapist in digital group sessions, while others work independently with the digital content.

We will also examine the cost-benefit aspects of offering such interventions. If the study achieves its goals, digital interventions may eventually become a service offered to adolescents recovering from depression and anxiety.

Enrollment: 495 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 16 to 19 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Currently in full or partial remission for a minimum of 2 months from a depressive disorder or an anxiety disorder.
• Native or fluent Scandinavian language skills.
• Willingness to take part even when allocated to the non-preferred arm of the trial.

Exclusion criteria

• Ongoing depressive disorder, ongoing anxiety disorder.
• Recent completion of one of the interventions in the two interventional arms.
• no available smartphone.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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495 participants in 3 patient groups

App intervention

Experimental group

Description:

A transdiagnostic, self-guided CBT app: 1. Standardized self-assessment for mental health: 'Test your psychological immune system'. 2. Educational mini-series: A 30-minute, entertaining video series that teaches users to build resilience by addressing essential needs like sleep (psychological immune system), recognizing negative thought patterns (thought viruses), and developing healthier coping mechanisms (psychological vitamins). 3. Daily practice: Over 20 days, users receive a short, 1-2-minute video each morning. These videos provide practical tips, small experiments, or simple tasks designed to help users integrate healthier coping strategies into their daily lives.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Transdiagnostic app intervention

Group intervention

Experimental group

Description:

A transdiagnostic, mastery course for groups, delivered weekly in webinar format over three sessions. It includes videos and group discussions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Transdiagnostic mastery course

Assessment only

No Intervention group

Description:

Only assessment will be conducted.