Shaping Actions and Responses to Emotions

Summary

The primary objective of this research is to examine two brief interventions for depression, Behavioral Activation (BA), and Problem Solving Therapy (PST), to investigate whether exposure to adverse childhood experiences influences change in the hypothesized target treatment mechanisms linked to each intervention. Research suggests that the treatment targets of BA (reward processing) may be well-matched for youths exposed to childhood adversity, due to disruptions in reward that are linked with adversity exposure. The investigators will examine the effects of youths' adverse life experiences on change in reward-related treatment targets in BA, and compare this to change in the treatment targets of PST, executive functioning processes. The first aim is to investigate the effects of childhood adversity on change in target treatment mechanisms in BA and PST. The second aim is to test whether changes in reward processes is specific to BA, and not PST, among youths exposed to adversity. The third aim is to test the match of BA for depression among youths exposed to adversity, by examining whether BA results in greater reductions in depression symptoms among youths with greater adversity exposure. The investigators will also test whether greater change in reward in associated with greater depression symptom reductions in BA, and not PST.

Conditions

• Depression in Adolescence
• Adverse Childhood Experiences

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Behavioral Activation (BA) Therapy

Brief BA is a manualized individual psychotherapy adapted to a four-session structure for this pilot study. The first session provides psychoeducation about the value and reinforcement of various behaviors and treatment rationale. Three additional sessions include reviewing the youth's log of the activities they planned each week, assessing youths' values and planning further valued activities, and reviewing progress.

BEHAVIORAL

Problem Solving Therapy (PST)

Brief PST is a manualized individual psychotherapy adapted to a four-session structure for this study. The first session provides psychoeducation on links between mood and managing social problems, as well as defining and identifying individual problems. Three additional sessions focus on generating solutions, decision making, implementing solutions, and evaluation and assessment of the outcomes of these solutions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Pittsburgh

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Rachel A Vaughn-Coaxum, Ph.D. · University of Pittsburgh

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Years

Max Age

15 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-02-09

Primary Completion

2023-08-17

Completion

2023-09-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations