Volunteering as an Intervention to Reduce Depression Among Adolescents

Wake Forest University (WFU)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Depressive Symptoms; Depression; Adolescent Behavior

Treatments: Behavioral: Volunteer experience

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03816215

IRB00053435

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of the present study is to test in a preliminary manner an innovative strategy for treating depression among adolescents (alongside existing therapy) using community volunteerism.

Full description

The purpose of the present study is to test in a preliminary manner an innovative strategy for treating depression among adolescents (alongside existing therapy) using community volunteerism. In addition, this study will test a potential mechanism by which volunteering might decrease depressive symptoms: increasing psychosocial assets, specifically decreasing self-orientation and increasing an orientation toward others. This will be measured through self-report as well as using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This study will be the first study to explore how neural response patterns are potentially altered by intense experiences with volunteerism among depressed adolescents.

Enrollment: 9 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 14 to 20 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• age 14-20
• new mild to moderate depression diagnosis (single episode)
• new mild to moderate anxiety diagnosis
• new adjustment disorder diagnosis
• have been in treatment for < 8 months
• right-handed

Exclusion criteria

• history of recurrent depressive, anxiety or adjustment disorder episodes
• have been in treatment > 8 months
• left-handed
• expressing suicidal ideation
• claustrophobia
• any contraindications for completing an MRI scan

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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9 participants in 1 patient group

Adolescent Participants

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will be assigned to participate in community service (from a menu of options) for 30 hours.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Volunteer experience