Mobile-enhanced Group CBT for Adolescents at Risk Severe Mood Disorders

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Adolescents; Mood Disorders

Treatments: Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04887155

21-000036

Details and patient eligibility

About

Although cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has shown efficacy in reducing symptoms and rates of mood relapse in adolescents at high risk for severe mood disorders (SMD; i.e., bipolar I/II disorder and recurrent or unremitting major depression), a significant limitation to the CBT's efficacy is the low rate of participant adherence to the prescribed between-session homework tasks. Mobile health applications have the potential to improve adherence to and acceptance of treatment through embedded treatment content, skill-practice, thought and symptom monitoring, all of which are facilitated by reward contingencies and notifications. This study examines whether a mobile application-enhanced CBT can improve participant adherence and treatment acceptance for adolescents at high risk for SMD.

Enrollment: 91 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 13 to 17 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Meet DSM-5 criteria for at least one past major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, or unspecified bipolar disorder
2. Be 13-17 years old
3. English speaking and able to complete written questionnaires
4. Ability to attend pre-determined group session time(s)
5. Access to a smartphone to engage with the study app
6. Medication usage is acceptable, but not required

Exclusion criteria

1. Regular use or current abuse of a psychoactive drug
2. Evidence of behavioral problems that are thought to interfere with group treatment
3. Suicidality that requires more intensive treatment
4. Meeting DSM 5 criteria for bipolar I or II disorder, a psychotic disorder, or significant psychiatric symptoms (e.g., self-injurious behavior) that require more intensive treatment
5. Concurrent participation in cognitive-behavioral therapy
6. Inability to travel to study sessions and assessments

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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91 participants in 2 patient groups

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)_no app

Active Comparator group

Treatment:

Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with mobile app

Experimental group

Treatment:

Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)