Clinical trial NCT03816215: Volunteering as an Intervention to Reduce Depression Among Adolescents
Official title: Volunteering as an Intervention to Reduce Depression Among Adolescents: Investigating Neurobiological Mechanisms
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Depression
Adolescent Behavior
Depressive Symptoms
Keywords: Adolescents
FMRI
volunteerism
Lead sponsor: Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2019-01-25
Enrollment: 9
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 14
Maximum age (years): 20
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: 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.

Detailed 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.

Eligibility criteria: 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

Primary outcomes:
measure: Participant recruitment
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Participant retention
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory)
timeFrame: 6 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Strength of Connectivity in DMN (Default Mode Network)
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Hope scale (Abler et al., 2017)
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Beck Hopelessness Inventory
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Self-efficacy
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Orientation Toward Others
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Empathy
timeFrame: 6 months
Other outcomes:
measure: Experience in Volunteering
timeFrame: 6 months
Locations:
city: Winston-Salem
country: United States
facility: Trinity Center, Inc
state: North Carolina
city: Winston-Salem
country: United States
facility: TriCare, PA
state: North Carolina
city: Winston-Salem
country: United States
facility: Private practice
state: North Carolina
Study officials:
affiliation: Wake Forest University Health Sciences
name: Parissa Ballard, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
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citation: Gudayol-Ferre E, Pero-Cebollero M, Gonzalez-Garrido AA, Guardia-Olmos J. Changes in brain connectivity related to the treatment of depression measured through fMRI: a systematic review. Front Hum Neurosci. 2015 Nov 3;9:582. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00582. eCollection 2015.
citation: Kessler RC, Avenevoli S, Ries Merikangas K. Mood disorders in children and adolescents: an epidemiologic perspective. Biol Psychiatry. 2001 Jun 15;49(12):1002-14. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3223(01)01129-5.
citation: Sheline YI, Barch DM, Price JL, Rundle MM, Vaishnavi SN, Snyder AZ, Mintun MA, Wang S, Coalson RS, Raichle ME. The default mode network and self-referential processes in depression. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Feb 10;106(6):1942-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0812686106. Epub 2009 Jan 26.