Disorders - depressive disorders
Rasanen, P., Lappalainen, P., Muotka, J., Tolvanen, A., Lappalainen, R.
Stress, anxiety and depression are relatively common problems among university students. This study examined whether an online
psychological intervention aiming at enhancing the wellbeing of university students could be an effective and practical alternative for meeting the
needs of a university population. University students (= 68; 85% female; 19-32 years old) were randomly assigned to either a guided seven-week online
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (iACT) intervention or a waiting list control condition (WLC). A between-groups pre-post (iACT vs WLC) design with
12-month follow-up for the iACT participants was conducted. The intervention participants were offered two face-to-face meetings, completed online
exercises during a five-week period, and received personal weekly written feedback via the website from their randomly assigned, trained student
coaches. Waitlist participants were offered the intervention program soon after the post measurements. Results in this small efficacy trial showed
that the iACT participants had significantly higher gains in wellbeing (between group, d = 0.46), life satisfaction (= 0.65), and mindfulness skills
(= 0.49). In addition, iACT participants' self-reported stress (= 0.54) and symptoms of depression (= 0.69) were significantly reduced compared to
the participants in the control group. These benefits were maintained over a 12-month follow-up period (within iACT group, d = 0.65-0.69, for primary
measures). The results suggest that an online-based, coach-guided ACT program with blended face-to-face and online sessions could be an effective and
well-accepted alternative for enhancing the wellbeing of university students.
Behaviour Research & Therapy, 78 : 30-
42
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions
(any), Acceptance & commitment therapy
(ACT), Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Reiter, C., Wilz, G.
Depression in adolescence is a
widespread problem and leads to extensive psychosocial impairments. For these reason, a resource diary has been developed as a four-week positive
writing intervention. The aims of this intervention were to enhance well-being, to promote emotion regulation and resource realization, as well as to
prevent symptoms of depression in adolescence. Seventy-seven students of 8th form were randomized either to a positive writing group (n = 38) or to a
neutral writing group (n = 39). At the post-test, the positive writing group showed a lower dysphoric mood, fewer worries and less rumination in
comparison with the neutral writing group. No effects on resource realization were detected. This study provides the first evidence of the beneficial
effects of positive writing on indicators of well-being and depressive symptoms. In conclusion, the resource diary represents an economical
intervention for preventing depression in adolescence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved) (journal abstract).
Journal of Positive
Psychology, 11(1) : 99-108
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Creative expression: music, dance, drama, art
Richards, K., Marko-Holguin, M., Fogel, J., Anker, L., Ronayne, J., Van-Voorhees, B. W.
We
developed and tested two primary care based approaches for the early identification and prevention of depressive disorders in adolescents. We
conducted a randomized controlled trial originally intended to compare Brief Advice (BA) + Internet intervention with Motivational Interviewing (MI)
+ Internet intervention in primary care for adolescents experiencing persistent subthreshold depression (Project CATCH-IT). This is an exploratory
longterm 2.5 year follow-up study of a phase II study comparing pre/post outcomes and potential moderators of outcomes. Participants (n = 44) in the
entire cohort maintained from baseline and continued to reduce depressive symptoms and percentage of subsyndromal depression. Greater motivation for
depression prevention and lower ratings of self-efficacy at baseline were associated with greater declines in depression symptoms. These results
suggest adolescents can be followed-up after Internet studies and there may be evidence of sustained reductions in depressed mood. The CATCH-IT model
offers the possibility of a long term effect, but these results are limited by the small sample size and pre-post design. A large scale randomized
clinical trial of the intervention is currently in progress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)
Journal of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies, 16(2) : 113-
134
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- 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, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Palm, U., Segmiller, F. M., Epple, A. N., Freisleder, F. J., Koutsouleris, N., Schulte-Korne, G., Padberg,
F.
Transcranial
direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation method that has shown promising results in various neuropsychiatric disorders
in adults. This review addresses the therapeutic use of tDCS in children and adolescents including safety, ethical, and legal considerations. There
are several studies addressing the dosage of tDCS in children and adolescents by computational modeling of electric fields in the pediatric brain.
Results suggest halving the amperage used in adults to obtain the same peak electric fields, however, there are some studies reporting on the safe
application of tDCS with standard adult parameters in children (2 mA; 20 - 30 min). There are several randomized placebo controlled trials suggesting
beneficial effects of tDCS for the treatment of cerebral palsy. For dystonia there are mixed data. Some studies suggest efficacy of tDCS for the
treatment of refractory epilepsy, and for the improvement of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism. Interestingly, there is a lack of
data for the treatment of childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders, i.e., childhood onset schizophrenia and affective disorders. Overall, tDCS
seems to be safe in pediatric population. More studies are needed to confirm the preliminary encouraging results; however, ethical deliberation has
to be weighed carefully for every single case.
Journal of Neural Transmission, : 1-
16
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Biological Interventions
(any), Other biological interventions
Pusceddu, M. M., Kelly, P., Stanton, C., Cryan, J. F., Dinan, T. G.
Objective: The impact of lifetime
dietary habits and their role in physical, mental, and social well-being has been the focus of considerable recent research. Omega-3 polyunsaturated
fatty acids as a dietary constituent have been under the spotlight for decades. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids constitute key regulating factors
of neurotransmission, neurogenesis, and neuroinfalmmation and are thereby fundamental for development, functioning, and aging of the CNS. Of note is
the fact that these processes are altered in various psychiatric disorders, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, and
Alzheimer's disease. Design: Relevant literature was identified through a search of MEDLINE via PubMed using the following words, \"n-3 PUFAs,\"
\"EPA,\" and \"DHA\" in combination with \"stress,\" \"cognition,\" \"ADHD,\" \"anxiety,\" \"depression,\" \"bipolar disorder,\" \"schizophrenia,\"
and \"Alzheimer.\" The principal focus was on the role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids throughout the lifespan and their implication for
psychopathologies. Recommendations for future investigation on the potential clinical value of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids were examined.
Results: The inconsistent and inconclusive results from randomized clinical trials limits the usage of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in
clinical practice. However, a body of literature demonstrates an inverse correlation between omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels and quality of
life/psychiatric diseases. Specifically, older healthy adults showing low habitual intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids benefit most from
consuming them, showing improved age-related cognitive decline. Conclusions: Although further studies are required, there is an exciting and growing
body of research suggesting that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may have a potential clinical value in the prevention and treatment of
psychopathologies. Copyright © The Author 2016.
International Journal of
Neuropsychopharmacology, 19(12) :
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Universal prevention, At risk (indicated or selected prevention), Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Fish oil (Omega-3 fatty acids), Omega 3 fatty
acids (e.g. fish oil, flax oil)
Tomyn, J. D., Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M., Richardson, B., Colla,
L.
The present study proposes and
demonstrates a comprehensive framework for evaluation of a universal school-based depression prevention program. Efficacy was evaluated by
considering the impact of continuous versus categorical approaches to operationalizing outcome, the effect of the intervention on key change agent
variables, and moderation of intervention effects by student symptom severity at baseline. Participants 252 adolescent boys and girls (60 % male),
aged 13 to 17 years (M=13.62 years, SD=0.60 years) from four schools in the state of Victoria, Australia, who were allocated by school into a
waitlist=control (n=88) or a CBT-based intervention (n=164) group. The intervention involved six 45-min weekly sessions run during wellbeing classes.
While the intervention and control groups did not differ in average improvement in symptoms by post-intervention, further analyses showed that
responsiveness was highly variable within the intervention, and those with elevated depressive symptoms benefitted most. The proposed change agents
of self-esteem, resilience, body image satisfaction, and perceived social support did not uniquely predict change in depressive symptoms but
collectively accounted for substantial variance in this change process. Collectively, this framework provided insights into aspects of the
intervention that worked and highlighted areas for improvement, thus providing clear direction for future research.
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44(8) : 1621-
1633
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
Walsh,
E., Eisenlohr-Moul, T., Baer, R.
Objective: Pro-inflammatory cytokines have been implicated in the pathophysiology and
maintenance of depression. This study investigated the effects of a brief mindfulness intervention on salivary pro-inflammatory correlates of
depression (IL-6, TNF-a) and self-reported symptoms of depression in college women. Methods: Sixty-four females with a cut score of =16 on the Center
for Epidemiological Studies for Depression Scale (CES-D) were assigned to a 4-week mindfulness-based intervention (MBI; N = 31) or a contact-control
group (N = 33). For both groups, salivary cytokines and depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and posttreatment. For the mindfulness group
only, salivary cytokines were also assessed at a 3-month follow-up. Results: Both groups showed similar reductions in depression. However, MBI (vs.
control) predicted greater reductions in IL-6 and TNF-a; changes in IL-6 were sustained at 3-month follow-up. Higher baseline depressive symptoms
predicted greater reductions in inflammation in the mindfulness group. Conclusion: MBIs may reduce inflammatory immune markers commonly implicated in
depression. Individuals with greater depressive symptoms may benefit more from mindfulness training. Although reductions in salivary cytokines in the
mindfulness condition were not attributable to changes in depressive symptoms, future work should examine the possibility that such reductions are
protective against the development of future depressive episodes. (PsycINFO Database Record
Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, :
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Mindfulness based
therapy
Stadterman, J., Freed, R.
D., Ostrover, R., Gabbay, V.
Objectives: Youth-onset depression is common and accompanied by substantial impairment. Despite
advances in pharmacological treatment, less than two-thirds of depressed youth show adequate response to antidepressants, underscoring the need for
alternative treatments. One such option may be omega-3 fatty acids (O3FA) supplementation. Evidence from several lines of research suggests that O3FA
may play a role in depression, and it is frequently taken as an over-the-counter form of treatment. However, only two clinical trials have tested the
efficacy of O3FA in depressed youth, with mixed results. Our study aimed to examine the efficacy of O3FA in psychotropic medication-free adolescents
with depression. Methods: In a 10-week double-blind study, 48 youth (ages 12-19 years), with moderate-severe MDD were assigned randomly to receive
O3FA (n = 21) or placebo. The study was approved by the Institutional review board at New York University from where subjects were recruited.
Diagnoses were made with the Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, and MDD severity was captured by the Children's Depression
Rating Scale (CDRSR) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Patients, seen weekly, started the trial on 1.2 g per day. Doses increased 0.6 g per day
every two weeks if minimal to no reduction in depression severity was seen. Maximum daily dose was 3.6 g per day, and mean doses at week 10 were 3.1
and 3.2 g per day in placebo and treatment conditions, respectively. Outcome variables were pre- to posttreatment change in self-reported (BDI) and
clinician-rated (CDRSR) depression scores. Results: In the total sample group, depression severity decreased over the 10 weeks, as measured by the
CDRSR (P = 0.02) but not the BDI (P = 0.08). However, between-group analyses of posttreatment depression severity revealed no significant differences
for both CDRSR (P = 0.69) and BDI (P = 0.65). Furthermore, in linear regression models, baseline-adjusted mean differences between treatment
conditions were also not significant for CDRSR (P = 0.49) or BDI (P = 0.76). Conclusions: Compared with placebo, O3FA did not improve depression
severity in our sample group of youth with MDD. Our findings are inconsistent with a couple of other studies, which may be explained by differences
in sample group size, O3FA dose, or other moderators. Results support the need for further research into alternative treatments for MDD.
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, 55 (10 Supplement 1) : S168-S169
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Fish oil (Omega-3 fatty acids), Omega 3 fatty
acids (e.g. fish oil, flax oil)
Swartz, H. A., Cyranowski, J. M., Cheng, Y., Zuckoff, A., Brent, D. A., Markowitz, J. C., Martin, S., Amole, M. C., Ritchey, F., Frank, E.
Objective: Two-generation studies
demonstrate that treating maternal depression benefits school-age children. Although mothers prefer psychotherapy to medication, little is known
about how psychotherapy for maternal depression affects offspring, especially in very high-risk families in which both mothers and children
concurrently meet syndromal criteria for psychiatric disorders. This trial evaluated the effects of 2 brief psychotherapies for maternal depression
on very high-risk families. Method: Mothers with major depressive disorder were randomly assigned to 9 sessions of either brief interpersonal
psychotherapy for mothers (IPT-MOMS; n = 85) or brief supportive psychotherapy (BSP; n = 83). Independent assessors evaluated mothers and their
children, ages 7 to 18 years, diagnosed with at least 1 internalizing disorder, every 3 months over the course of 1 year. Results: Symptoms and
functioning of mothers and children improved significantly over time, with no between-group differences. However, children of mothers assigned to BSP
had more outpatient mental health visits and were more likely to receive antidepressant medication. Mothers reported greater satisfaction with IPT-
MOMS than BSP. Improvement in mothers' depressive symptoms was associated with improvement in child functioning in time-lagged fashion, with
children improving 3 to 6 months after mothers improved. Antidepressant medication use and number of mental health visits received by children did
not affect outcomes. Conclusion: IPT-MOMS and BSP demonstrated comparable beneficial effects on maternal depression. Children's functioning improved
following maternal improvement, independent of youths' treatment. Children of mothers randomized to IPT-MOMS, compared with BSP, achieved comparable
outcomes despite less follow-up treatment. Observation of lagged association between maternal improvement and change in child functioning should
influence treatment planning for families. . Clinical trial registration information-Psychotherapy for Depressed Mothers of Psychiatrically Ill
Children; . http://clinicaltrials.gov/; . NCT00919594.
Journal of the American Academy of Child &
Adolescent Psychiatry, :
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Other service delivery and improvement
interventions
Tak, Y. R., Lichtwarck-Aschoff, A., Gillham, J.
E., Van-Zundert, R. M., Engels, R. C.
The longitudinal effectiveness of a
universal, adolescent school-based depression prevention program Op Volle Kracht (OVK) was evaluated by means of a cluster randomized controlled
trial with intervention and control condition (school as usual). OVK was based on the Penn Resiliency Program (PRP) (Gillham et al. Psychological
Science, 6, 343-351, 1995). Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Child Depression Inventory (Kovacs 2001). In total, 1341 adolescents
participated, Mage=13.91, SD=0.55, 47.3 % girls, 83.1 % Dutch ethnicity; intervention group n=655, four schools; control group n=735, five schools.
Intent-to-treat analyses revealed that OVK did not prevent depressive symptoms, beta= -0.01, SE=0.05, p=.829, Cohen's d=0.02, and the prevalence of
an elevated level of depressive symptoms was not different between groups at 1 year follow-up, OR=1.00, 95 % CI=0.60-1.65, p=.992, NNT=188. Latent
Growth Curve Modeling over the 2 year follow-up period showed that OVK did not predict differences in depressive symptoms immediately following
intervention, intercept: beta=0.02, p=.642, or changes in depressive symptoms, slope: beta= -0.01, p=.919. No moderation by gender or baseline
depressive symptoms was found. To conclude, OVK was not effective in preventing depressive symptoms across the 2 year follow-up. The implications of
these findings are discussed.
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44(5) : 949-
61
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT), Skills training
Takagaki, K., Okamoto, Y., Jinnin, R., Mori, A., Nishiyama, Y., Yamamura, T., Yokoyama, S., Shiota, S., Miyake, Y., Ogata, A., Kunisato, Y., Shimoda, H., Kawakami, N., Furukawa, T. A., Yamawaki, S.
The main behavioral characteristic
of subthreshold depression that is observed in adolescents is the low frequency of exposure to environmental rewards. Therefore, it was considered
that a simple intervention conducted in short sessions, focusing on increasing access to positively reinforcing activities, would be efficacious in
increasing the availability of rewards. We conduct a randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of such a behavioral activation program that
was conducted weekly for 5 weeks in 60-min sessions. Late adolescent university students aged 18 - 19 years with subthreshold depression were
randomly allocated to a treatment (n = 62) or a control group (n = 56). The primary outcome of the study was the Beck Depression Inventory-II score.
Results indicated that late adolescent students in the treatment group showed significant improvements in their depressive symptoms (effect size
-0.90, 95 % CI -1.28 to -0.51) compared to the control group. Students in the treatment group also showed significant improvements in self-reported
rating of quality of life and in behavioral characteristics. It is concluded that this intervention had a large and significant effect despite being
short and simple and that this low-intensity cognitive behavioral therapy program could be conducted in many different types of institutions. It is
suggested that the long-term effects of the treatment program should be targeted for investigation in future studies.
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, : 1-12
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
Takanari, J., Nakahigashi, J., Sato, A., Waki, H., Miyazaki, S., Uebaba, K., Hisajima, T.
Summary The aim of this study was to examine the
effectiveness of Enzyme-Treated Asparagus Extract (ETAS) on improving stress response. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over
trial was undertaken in healthy volunteers. ETAS (150 mg/d) or a placebo was consumed for 28 d, with a washout period. Psychological parameters were
examined using a self-report scale questionnaire and psychological stress was applied using the Uchida-Kraepelin (U-K) test. During the stress load,
autonomic nervous function was analyzed. After the stress load, a profile of mood states (POMS) psychological rating was performed, and serum
cortisol, plasma catecholamine, salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), and salivary cortisol were analyzed. ETAS intake improved the self-
reported rating for the items \"Feel tired,\" \"Hard to get up,\" and \"Feel heavy\" in the psychological questionnaire; ameliorated the self-
reported rating for the items \"Depression-Dejection\" and \"Fatigue\" in the POMS questionnaire; and increased salivary sIgA levels after the U-K
test. In contrast, serum and salivary cortisol levels, and plasma catecholamine did not change. During the U-K test, ETAS significantly upregulated
the sympathetic nerve activity. Furthermore, ETAS intake significantly increased the number of answers and the number of correct answers in the U-K
test, suggesting that it might improve office work performance with swiftness and accuracy under stressful conditions. In conclusion, ETAS
supplementation reduced feelings of dysphoria and fatigue, ameliorated quality of sleep, and enhanced stress-load performance as well as promoted
stress response by increasing salivary sIgA levels. These data suggest ETAS intake may exert beneficial effects, resulting from well-controlled
stress management, in healthy individuals. Copyright © 2016, Center for Academic Publications Japan. All rights reserved.
Journal of Nutritional Science and
Vitaminology, 62(3) : 198-205
- Year: 2016
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Homeopathic, plant-based medicines