Clinical trial NCT00641368: R4Power: An Online Resilience Program for Adolescents
Official title: R4Power: An Online Resilience Program for Adolescents
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: PHASE1
Conditions: Depression
Anxiety
Keywords: Adolescent
Child
Computer
Depression
Resilience
Lead sponsor: Swarthmore College
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2008-03-24
Enrollment: 200
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 11
Maximum age (years): 15
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: The study will evaluate the R4Power program, an online intervention designed to teach adolescents coping and problem-solving skills.

Detailed description: This study examines the feasibility of a 10-lesson web-based intervention, the R4Power program, and its effectiveness in preventing symptoms of depression and anxiety. The R4Power Program teaches cognitive and problem-solving skills covered in classroom based interventions, including the Penn Resiliency Program, that have been found to reduce or prevent symptoms of depression in children and adolescents. This study examines whether adolescents can benefit from learning these skills through a computer (rather than classroom) intervention.

Adolescents in grades 6 through 8 who participate in this study will be assigned to one of two conditions: an intervention group that will complete the R4Power program during the first year (R4Power1), or a waitlist control group that will complete the R4Power program the following year (R4Power2). Students will complete the 10-lesson program over the course of twelve weeks. They will learn and practice cognitive skills (recognizing the link between their thoughts and feelings, identifying thinking traps, challenging their negative beliefs) and problem-solving skills (assertiveness, relaxation and distraction, overcoming procrastination, and decision making). Adolescents who participate in this study will be followed for one year, and their coping responses and symptoms of depression and anxiety will be assessed at four points: at the beginning of the study (baseline) and at follow-up assessments approximately 4, 12 and 16 months after baseline.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* 6th-8th grade students attending participating school OR adolescents aged 11-15 living in greater Philadelphia area
* Access to high speed internet connection (at home, school, or another location)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Below 6th grade reading level, as reported by parents

Primary outcomes:
measure: Adolescents' coping strategies by self-report
timeFrame: Measured at baseline and follow-ups approximately 4, 12, and 16 months after baseline
measure: Adolescents' depressive symptoms by self-report
timeFrame: Measured at baseline and follow-ups approximately 4, 12, and 16 months after baseline
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Adolescents' symptoms of anxiety by self-report
timeFrame: Measured at baseline and follow-ups approximately 4, 12, and 16 months after baseline
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Swarthmore
country: United States
facility: Swarthmore College
state: Pennsylvania
Study officials:
affiliation: Swarthmore College
name: Jane E. Gillham, Ph.D.
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: