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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03816215

Volunteering as an Intervention to Reduce Depression Among Adolescents

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Depression Adolescent Behavior Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Depressive Symptoms

Age range

14 year–20 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Private practice, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States

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About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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

Treatment and study plan

Volunteer experience

Behavioral

Participants will be assigned to a meaningful volunteer experience from a menu of local options (e.g., volunteering at an animal shelter or in a library) for 30 hours.

Primary outcomes

  1. Participant recruitment

    Time frame: 6 months

    Number of participants screened (reported by clinical mental health providers)

  2. Participant retention

    Time frame: 6 months

    Number of participants retained in full study

  3. Depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory)

    Time frame: 6 months

    Beck Depression Inventory to measure depressive symptoms. Each item is rated on a 4-point scale ranging from 0 to 3. The minimum total score is 0 and the maximum total score is 63. Higher scores denote worse outcome

Secondary outcomes

  1. Strength of Connectivity in DMN (Default Mode Network)

    Time frame: 6 months

    Default Mode Network Connectivity will be measured using fMRI at rest and while processing emotional pictures before and after volunteering intervention. The strength of connectivity within the DMN will be calculated by averaging attributes for each node in the DMN.

  2. Hope scale (Abler et al., 2017)

    Time frame: 6 months

    Hope scale (Abler et al., 2017) will be measured on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Items will be averaged; higher scores denote better outcome (more hope).

  3. Beck Hopelessness Inventory

    Time frame: 6 months

    Beck Hopelessness Inventory will be used (scored from 1-20; higher score denotes worse outcome).

  4. Self-efficacy

    Time frame: 6 months

    NIH toolbox measure from 1 (never) to 5 (very often); scores will be averaged and high score indicates more self-efficacy.

  5. Orientation Toward Others

    Time frame: 6 months

    5 point scale from 1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree. Scores will be averaged; higher score denotes more orientation toward others.

  6. Empathy

    Time frame: 6 months

    IRI (Interpersonal Reactivity Index) subscale to measure empathy on a 5 point scale from 1- strongly disagree to 5 -strongly agree. Scores will be averaged; higher score denotes more empathy.

Other outcomes

  1. Experience in Volunteering

    Time frame: 6 months

    Measured through the Inventory of Service Experience (Taylor & Pancer, 2007) on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Scores will be averaged for subscales of the measure. Higher score denotes better outcomes (more positive experiences with volunteering).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Volunteering as an Intervention to Reduce Depression Among Adolescents: Investigating Neurobiological Mechanisms

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2020
First posted
Jan 25, 2019
Registry last updated
Mar 2, 2021

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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