Depression, Experiential Diversity, and Behavioral Novelty

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of the study is to test whether changes in behavioral patterns are related to changes in depression. Depression is a psychological condition that involves persistent sad mood and/or an inability to enjoy pleasurable activities. Very stable behavioral patterns may be related to symptoms of depression. The aim of this study is to learn more about the relationship between symptoms of depression and behavioral patterns that are collected via GPS (global positioning system) location data from a smartphone.

Official Title
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Depression, Experiential Diversity, and Behavioral Novelty: A Mobile Sensing Experimental Paradigm

Conditions
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Depression

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Brief modified behavioral activation


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Age 18-25 Possession and daily use of a smartphone Able to speak and read English Patient Health Questionnaire -8 (PHQ-8) > 10 Behavioral Activation for Depression (BADS) Activation Subscale < 16 Ability to complete all study procedures Exclusion Criteria: Self-reported lifetime diagnosis of agoraphobia or bipolar disorder Severe neurodevelopmental disorder Major travel plans within study period

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 25 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Brief modified behavioral activation<br>Participants randomized to the behavioral activation condition will meet with a graduate level clinician for one hour. | Behavioral: Brief modified behavioral activation<br>* The clinician will deliver psychoeducation about the nature of depression and the rationale behind the behavioral activation model (i.e. increasing level of activation can jumpstart a positive feedback cycle of reward and improvements in mood state). Participants will be encouraged to add new, enjoyable activities to their daily schedules. Clinicians will emphasize the importance of novelty and increased engagement with the surrounding environment in the psychoeducational portion and in activity scheduling.<br>|
| No Intervention: Measurement-only control<br>Participants who are not randomized to the active condition will take part in a measurement-only control condition. They will participate in all portions of the study except for the in-person behavioral activation session. They will complete a baseline and fill out daily surveys. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Patient Health Questionnaire-8 Total Score over 5 Weeks | Level of depression symptoms assessed weekly by the Patient Health Questionnaire - 8 via smartphone survey. The PHQ-8 ranges from 0-24 with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms of depression. | Baseline and 5 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale over 5 Weeks | Level of behavioral activation as measured by the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale (BADS). The BADS ranges from 0-150 with higher scores indicating better functioning. | Baseline and 5 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Behavioral activation, Mobile sensing