Disorders - Depressive Disorders
Srivastava, M., Ghosh, A.
Purpose: This investigation
purports to study if gratitude interventions lead to an increase in overall wellbeing among Indian youth\rduring the coronavirus lockdown. Second, to
examine if a cumulative\reffect of two gratitude interventions on wellbeing is greater than\ra single gratitude intervention.\rMethod: Participants
(N = 80) were randomly allocated to the experimental and control groups (n = 40 each).\rResult: It was found that after administering a single
gratitude intervention there was a significant increase in mental health, happiness,\rand gratitude and a decrease in depression, anxiety, and stress
in the\rexperimental group. Moreover, after administering two gratitude\rinterventions together, a greater increase was seen in these variables\ras
compared to the administration of a single gratitude intervention.\rThere was no significant change in the control group in both cases.\rConclusion:
In summary, online gratitude interventions lead to\rincrease in happiness and mental health and decrease in depression,\ranxiety, and stress even
during crises such as the coronavirus pandemic. Moreover, the cumulative effect of two gratitude interventions\ris more than a single gratitude
intervention. It is suggested that these\rgratitude interventions should be included in providing mental health\rcare even when clients are not able
to meet counselors in physical\rsettings.
Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 20(2) : 272-298
- Year: 2023
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions
(any), Other Psychological Interventions, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Sorsdahl, K., Van der Westhuizen, C., Hornsby, N., Jacobs, Y., Poole, M., Neuman, M., Weiss, H. A., Myers, B.
OBJECTIVE: Brief interventions could reduce adolescents' risk of
depression and alcohol-related harms, but evidence of their feasibility and acceptability for low-and middle-income countries is lacking. To address
this gap, we conducted a feasibility trial of the ASPIRE intervention, a four-session multi-component counselling intervention for South African
adolescents.\rMETHOD: We recruited 117 adolescents who met our inclusion criteria. Participants were randomly assigned to the ASPIRE intervention or
a comparison condition. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, six-week, and three-month post-randomization time points. Primary outcomes were based on
feasibility of study procedures and intervention delivery (assessed on seven predetermined progression criteria). Clinical outcomes (risk of
depression and alcohol harms) were secondary.\rRESULTS: Despite modifications to all study procedures arising from Covid-19 restrictions, five of the
seven key progression criteria were fully met, including: feasibility of data collection and outcome measures, counsellor competencies, randomization
and blinding, adverse advents, and acceptability of the intervention. The progression criterion for recruitment and intervention retention were not
fully met.\rCONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the ASPIRE intervention was generally feasible to deliver and acceptable to adolescents. However,
modifications to the trial design and intervention delivery are needed to optimize the validity of a definitive randomized controlled trial of the
ASPIRE intervention.
Psychotherapy Research, : 1-
15
- Year: 2023
- Problem: Depressive Disorders, Alcohol
Use
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Motivational interviewing, includes Motivational Enhancing Therapy, Psychoeducation, Problem solving therapy (PST), Other Psychological Interventions, Personalised feedback, normative feedback
Smith, B. W., deCruz-Dixon,
N., Erickson, K., Guzman, A., Phan, A., Schodt, K.
This study investigated
the effects of an 8-week online positive psychology course on happiness, health, and well-being. There were 65 undergraduate students in the course
and a comparison group of 63 undergraduates taking other online psychology courses. The participants were assessed on positive mental health (e.g.,
happiness, positive emotions), negative mental health (e.g., anxiety, depression), general health, and personal characteristics (e.g., hope,
resilience) during the first and last week of the courses. The anxiety and depression measures had cut-offs for clinically significant symptoms. The
hypotheses were that the positive psychology students would have significant improvements on all measures and a reduction in the percent anxious and
depressed relative to the comparison group. The hypotheses were supported with large effect sizes for positive and negative mental health (mean ds =
0.907 and - 0.779, respectively) and medium-to-large effects for general health and personal characteristics (d = 0.674 and mean ds = 0.590,
respectively). There was a reduction from 49.2 to 23.1% percent anxious and from 18.6 to 6.2% percent depressed with no change in the comparison
group. In addition, improvements in the online positive psychology course were compared with a previous study of a similar face-to-face positive
psychology course (Smith et al., 2021) showing the effect sizes for improvements relative to the comparison groups were larger in the online vs.
face-to-face course (mean ds = 0.878. vs. 0.593). Possible explanations for these differences are discussed along with the implications for
maximizing the benefits of positive psychology courses in the future.
Journal of Happiness Studies, 24(3) : 1145-1167
- Year: 2023
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions
(any), Positive
psychology, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Skarphedinsson, G., Karlsson, G. K.
The present study aimed to assess the
efficacy of a group-based, brief transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) program for adolescents with internalizing problems, such as
anxiety and depressive disorders, seeking help in a primary health care clinic in Iceland. The group-based CBT program consisted of eight weekly 110
-min sessions covering psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, exposure, problem-solving, social skills, and mindfulness.
The study recruited 53 participants, who were randomly assigned to either receive the group treatment or be placed on a wait-list for monitoring
purposes. Measures were taken at baseline, during treatment (week 4), at posttreatment (week 8), and at 2-, 4-month, and 1-year follow-ups. The
primary outcome measures were the self-reported total scores of total anxiety and depression using the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression
Scale (RCADS). The study found a significant effect of time and time * treatment interaction on the depression and anxiety total scores. The
secondary outcome measures, RCADS parent-rated depression and anxiety total scores, did not show significant effects of time * treatment interaction.
However, during naturalistic follow-up, a significant reduction in parent-reported depression and anxiety total scores was observed. The study also
observed good treatment adherence, as well as high satisfaction among parents and youth. The results suggest that this group-based, brief
transdiagnostic CBT group treatment is feasible and effective in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms in adolescents with internalizing problems
and highlights the importance of addressing comorbidity in treatment. Copyright © 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science
+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Child psychiatry and human
development., 09 :
- Year: 2023
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
Simmons, M. B., Cartner, S., MacDonald, R., Whitson, S., Bailey, A., Brown, E.
Background: Peer
workers support individuals experiencing mental health challenges by drawing on their shared lived experience. Peer support has become increasingly
popular for young people with anxiety and depression, but the evidence base is unclear. This systematic review aimed to understand the effectiveness
of peer support for youth depression and anxiety (either primary or comorbid), and to understand in which contexts, for whom, and why peer support
works. Method(s): A systematic search was conducted with the Orygen Evidence Finder, Embase, MEDLINE, and PsycInfo from January 1980 to July 2022.
Controlled trials of interventions to improve mental health in young people (mean age 14-24), delivered by a peer worker with lived experienced of
mental health challenges were included. Outcomes related to depression or anxiety were extracted and descriptive synthesis was undertaken due to the
heterogeneity of studies. Study quality was rated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme; reporting adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items
for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Result(s): Nine randomised controlled trials with 2,003 participants were included, with
seven undertaken in high income countries. One targeted depression and anxiety, two stigma-distress (any mental disorder), one first episode
psychosis, four studies preventing eating disorders and one drug misuse. One study successfully reduced anxiety and depression, another reduced
depression only, four reported reductions in negative affect, with the final three measuring, but not having a significant impact on depression.
Study quality was rated as 'good' overall. Discussion(s): Despite the uptake of youth peer support globally, there is limited evidence from
controlled trials of the effect of peer support-related interventions on anxiety and depression. There is some effect on negative affect, especially
for university students. Further rigorously designed trials of peer delivered interventions for young people need to be conducted with a focus on
understanding the mechanisms of action underpinning peer support. Copyright © 2023, The Author(s).
BMC Psychiatry, 23(1) (no pagination) :
- Year: 2023
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders, Eating Disorders
(any), Psychosis Disorders, Substance Use Disorders (any)
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder), At risk (indicated or selected prevention), First episode (psychosis only)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Other Psychological Interventions
Silovsky, J., Bard, D., Owora, A. H., Milojevich, H., Jorgensen, A., Hecht, D.
Early
adversity predicts increased risk for mental and physical health problems. As such, intervention efforts, such as home-based parenting programs, have
been initiated with vulnerable families to reduce adversity exposure and promote child well-being. The present randomized clinical trial had a
parallel design and 1:1 allocation ratio of SafeCare augmented for an urban high-risk population (SC+) compared to standard home-based mental health
services (SAU) to examine risk and protective factors proximal to child maltreatment. Parents (N = 562) of young children (5 years or less) at risk
of depression, intimate partner violence, or substance abuse were randomized to SC+ or SAU. A significant program effect was found in favor of SC+
for parental depression and social support, as well as within-group improvements for both groups in depression, intimate partner victimization,
family resources, and social support. Promising next steps include future trials examining how improvements in parental depression and social support
impact child well-being over time and further augmentation of SafeCare to enhance healthy relationships and address cultural congruency of services.
(PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
Child
maltreatment, 28(2) : 384-395
- Year: 2023
- Problem: Depressive Disorders, Substance Use Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions
(any), Motivational interviewing, includes Motivational Enhancing Therapy, Other Psychological Interventions, Other service delivery and improvement
interventions
Shapiro, M. O., Allan, N. P., Raines, A. M., Schmidt, N. B.
Background and Objectives: Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is an
important transdiagnostic risk factor for the development and maintenance of anxiety- and depression-related disorders. Although traditionally
targeted within the context of cognitive behavioral treatments, no studies to date have examined the efficacy of IU specific interventions. To this
end, the current study aimed to develop and test the initial efficacy of a brief, one-session computerized IU-focused psychoeducation intervention.
Method(s): Student participants (N = 84) were randomly assigned to an active (IU-focused Psychoeducation) or control (Health-focused Psychoeducation)
condition and assessed at pre-intervention, post-intervention, week 1, and week 4. Result(s): Path analytic modeling found the active condition
(compared to the control) led to significant reductions in IU at week 4 follow-up. Mediation analyses revealed a statistically significant indirect
effect of condition on change in anxiety and depression symptoms at week 4 via changes in IU. Limitation(s): Limitations include the use of self-
report measures to assess all constructs of interest and a predominantly female sample, possibly limiting generalizability. Conclusion(s): The
current study was the first to provide preliminary evidence that a brief, computerized IU treatment may be effective in reducing fears of
uncertainty. This is important given the brevity of our intervention and the prevalence of anxiety and depression. Copyright © 2022, This is a U.S.
Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.
Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral
Assessment, 45(2) : 379-390
- Year: 2023
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Psychoeducation
Savell, S.
M., Lee, J., Stern, J. A., Wilson, M. N.
OBJECTIVE: This study examines the effects of a
scalable psychoeducation intervention to improve students' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.\rPARTICIPANTS: In a sample of racially
diverse undergraduates from a highly selective university (N = 66), students in the control group (mostly women) participated in courses as usual and
students in the intervention group (only women) participated in a psychoeducation course on evidence-based strategies for coping, designed for
college students living through the pandemic.\rMETHODS: Rates of psychological distress were measured through online surveys at baseline and follow-
up assessments.\rRESULTS: Students in both the intervention and control groups had clinically elevated depressive symptoms. Consistent with
hypotheses, students in the intervention group had lower levels of academic distress and more positive perceptions regarding mental healthcare at the
follow-up assessment than students in the control group. Contrary to hypotheses, students in both groups had similar levels of depressive symptoms,
feelings of being overwhelmed, and coping. Preliminary findings suggest that the intervention primarily improved help-seeking and may have reduced
stigma.\rCONCLUSIONS: Psychoeducation in an academic setting may be one means by which to decrease academic distress and reduce mental health stigma
at highly selective institutions.
, : 1-10
- Year: 2023
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention, At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Psychoeducation
Sarman, A., Gunay, U.
This research was
conducted to determine the effect of calligraphy on the anxiety and depression levels of adolescent psychiatric patients. It was conducted with
adolescent psychiatric patients ages 14-17 in Turkey's Eastern Anatolia Region. They were allocated a calligraphy (n=40) or a wait-list (n=39)
group. Those in the calligraphy group participated in 60-min calligraphy sessions for three weeks. The state anxiety levels of adolescents who
applied calligraphy decreased gradually when compared with adolescents in the control group. The difference between the third-week mean post-test
state anxiety scores of the adolescents in the calligraphy and control groups was significant (t=2.34, p=.02). The trait anxiety scale and depression
scale mean post-test scores of the adolescents in the calligraphy group were lower than in the control group. The difference between two groups was
significant. Calligraphy can be potentially used as a beneficial method for reducing anxiety and depression. Copyright © 2021. The Author(s), under
exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
Journal of religion and health, 62(2) : 1269-
1285
- Year: 2023
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention), Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Creative expression: music, dance, drama, art
Rojas, B., Catalan, E., Diez, G., Roca, P.
OBJECTIVES: Physicians and
medical students are subject to higher levels of psychological distress than the general population. These challenges have a negative impact in
medical practice, leading to uncompassionate care. This pilot study aims to examine the feasibility of Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) to
reduce psychological distress and improve the well-being of medical students. We hypothesize that the CCT program, as compared to a waitlist control
group, will reduce psychological distress (i.e., stress, anxiety, and depression) and burnout symptoms, while improving compassion, empathy,
mindfulness, resilience, psychological well-being, and emotion-regulation strategies after the intervention. Furthermore, we hypothesize that these
improvements will be maintained at a two-month follow-up.\rMETHODS: Medical students were randomly assigned to an 8-week CCT or a Waitlist control
group (WL). They completed self-report assessments at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and a 2-month follow-up. The outcomes measured were
compassion, empathy, mindfulness, well-being, resilience, emotional regulation, psychological distress, burnout, and COVID-19 concern. Mixed-effects
models and Reliable Change Index were computed.\rRESULTS: Compared with WL, CCT showed significant improvements in self-compassion, mindfulness, and
emotion regulation, as well as a significant decrease in stress, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion component of burnout. Furthermore, some of these
effects persisted at follow-up. No adverse effects of meditation practices were found.\rCONCLUSIONS: CCT enhanced compassion skills while reducing
psychological distress in medical students, this being critical to preserving the mental health of physicians while promoting compassionate care for
patients. The need for institutions to include this type of training is also discussed.
, 18(6) : e0287388
- Year: 2023
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Meditation
Rogers,
S., Matsko, M., Evanski, J. M., Desai,
S., Arvidson, P., Kowalski, C., Bhogal, A., Gowatch, L., Zundel, C. G., Barcelona, J., Marusak, H. A.
Background: Physical activity (PA) has shown to have beneficial effects on children's health and development. However, a
reduced focus on PA programming in schools and home environments may contribute to the increasing prevalence of mental health problems among youth,
particularly following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we report preliminary findings from an ongoing randomized controlled trial of acute
exercise (light-intensity or moderate-intensity) and meditation on mood and affect in youth. Method(s): Youth participants recruited from the Metro
Detroit area (N =25: 52% female, 48% black; Mean + SD age =12.92 + 2.18yrs) were randomly assigned to a single 30-minute session of either (1)
moderate-intensity treadmill walking, (2) light-intensity stretching, or (3) a seated meditation session. Mood and positive and negative affect were
measured pre- and post-session. Result(s): There was a pre-to-post-session reduction in negative mood and affect scores and an increase in positive
affect (p's<0.05, d's 0.42-0.67). However, no significant main effects of condition or condition x time interaction were observed (p>0.05). Youth
with higher negative baseline mood scores showed greater reductions in negative mood following the 30-minute session, as compared to youth with lower
negative moods (r=0.87, p< 0.001). Conclusion(s): Acute light and moderate-intensity exercise, as well as meditation, were associated with reductions
in negative mood and affect and increases in positive affect. Further, the antidepressant effects of acute exercise and meditation were more
pronounced among youth with poorer baseline moods. These findings have implications for the use of PA and meditation-based interventions to combat
mental health problems in youth. Funding Source: Wayne State University, National Institute of Mental Health, and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development Keywords: Affect, Adolescent Depression, Mental health, exercise intervention, Mindfulness Meditation
Copyright © 2023
Biological Psychiatry, 93(9 Supplement) : S192-
S193
- Year: 2023
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention, At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Meditation, Physical activity, exercise
Robberegt, S. J., Brouwer, M. E., Kooiman, B.
E. A. M., Stikkelbroek, Y. A. J., Nauta, M. H., Bockting, C. L. H.
Objective: Depression and anxiety cause a
high burden of disease and have high relapse rates (39%-72%). This meta-analysis systematically examined effectiveness of relapse prevention
strategies on risk of and time to relapse in youth who remitted. Method(s): PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, Cochrane, and ERIC databases were searched up
to June 15, 2021. Eligible studies compared relapse prevention strategies to control conditions among youth (mean age 13-25 years) who were
previously depressed or anxious or with >=30% improvement in symptoms. Two reviewers independently assessed titles, abstracts, and full texts;
extracted study data; and assessed risk of bias and overall strength of evidence. Random-effects models were used to pool results, and mixed-effects
models were used for subgroup analyses. Main outcome was relapse rate at last follow-up (PROSPERO ID: CRD42020149326). Result(s): Of 10 randomized
controlled trials (RCTs) that examined depression, 9 were eligible for analysis: 4 included psychological interventions (n = 370), 3 included
antidepressants (n = 80), and 2 included combinations (n = 132). No RCTs for anxiety were identified. Over 6 to 75 months, relapse was half as likely
following psychological treatment compared with care as usual conditions (k = 6; odds ratio 0.56, 95% CI 0.31 to 1.00). Sensitivity analyses
including only studies with >=50 participants (k = 3), showed similar results. Over 6 to 12 months, relapse was less likely in youth receiving
antidepressants compared with youth receiving pill placebo (k = 3; OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.82). Quality of studies was suboptimal. Conclusion(s):
Relapse prevention strategies for youth depression reduce risk of relapse, although adequately powered, high-quality RCTs are needed. This finding,
together with the lack of RCTs on anxiety, underscores the need to examine relapse prevention in youth facing these common mental health conditions.
Copyright © 2022 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Journal
of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 62(3) : 306-317
- Year: 2023
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Relapse prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Biological Interventions
(any), Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Antidepressants
(any), Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)