UCSF TARA Study: Training for Awareness, Resilience and Action
Condition: Depression; Anxiety
MeSH terms: Depression
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The investigators aim to refine and pilot test an innovative group treatment model for
      adolescent depression and anxiety, Training for Awareness, Resilience and Action (TARA) in a
      sample of 14-18 year olds with depressive or anxious symptoms.
    

Detailed description: 
      The investigators aim to refine and pilot test an innovative group treatment model for
      adolescent depression and anxiety, Training for Awareness, Resilience and Action (TARA). TARA
      is based on our current understanding of the neuroscience of adolescent depression and
      anxiety. It employs specific approaches drawn from mindfulness practices and yoga to promote
      physiological regulation and attention modulation, emotion regulation, and cognitive control.
      The investigators will perform three initial (non-randomized) beta tests with 6-12
      participants each to refine our intervention manual. The investigators will enroll up to 30
      participants total, aged 14-18 with depression and/or anxiety symptoms, to receive the TARA
      intervention. The investigators hypothesize that TARA will be feasible in terms of
      recruitment, retention, adherence, and participant receptivity to the intervention as gauged
      through feedback surveys and a focus group. The primary outcomes are depression symptoms
      assessed with the Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale (RADS-2) and anxiety symptoms assessed
      with the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC). Secondary outcomes include
      self-reported emotion regulation and attention/awareness. The investigators hypothesize that
      participants will show improvements in these measures. In a small subset of participants, the
      investigators will also test the feasibility of using functional MRI (fMRI) before and after
      the intervention to measure the underlying neurobiological effects of TARA. The aim is to
      develop a protocol for possible future use in a larger study to examine effects of the
      intervention on patterns of amygdala activation linked with adolescent depression.
    

Intervention name(s): TARA
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The intervention consists of four 3-week modules: 1. Autonomic regulation: Learning and practicing the ability to create a calm and safe inner state through breathing exercises and movement/physical activity. 2. Interoceptive awareness: Attention training, targeting external stimuli then sensory stimuli using short body scan exercises and guided meditations. 3.Emotion regulation: Recognizing, labeling, externalizing, and befriending emotions. 4. Metacognition, core-values, and committed action: Understanding social triggers to negative emotions and experiential avoidance strategies and their impact on obtaining desired life-goals. Home practice of TARA skills is encouraged, with breathing instructions and short, guided meditations provided via audio tracks.
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: intervention; emotion regulation; fMRI; mindfulness; yoga-based movement