African Youth in Mind (Y-MIND) - Pilot Feasibility Trial of a Brief Psychological Intervention for Older Adolescents With Depression Delivered Through Senior High Schools in Navrongo, Ghana

Summary

The overarching aim of this pilot study is to assess the feasibility of implementing a psychological intervention (Y-MIND), delivered by school guidance and counselling coordinators, for the treatment of depression among adolescents in senior high schools in Ghana. The study is a parallel arm cluster randomised controlled pilot trial. We will recruit adolescents aged 15 to 18 years in senior high schools. Participants will be randomised to receive the Y-MIND psychological intervention or enhanced usual care.

Conditions

• Depression Disorders

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Y-MIND Intervention

All participants in the intervention arm will receive the EUC plus the Y-Mind intervention. Y-Mind intervention will be delivered by trained and supervised Guidance and Counselling Coordinators (GCC) at schools in 6 sessions. The six sessions will include a) psychoeducation on depression, b) behavioural activation (helping the participant see the connection between their behaviour, daily activities, and low mood and activity scheduling) and c) problem-solving therapy (the GCC helps the participant identify and define a specific problem to work on, evaluate the potential solutions to the problem, and carry out the selected solution(s)).

OTHER

Enhanced Usual Care

Enhanced Usual Care (EUC): Guidance and counselling coordinators in the schools provide some counselling to students who need it. Building on the existing structure, enhanced usual care in the Y-mind programme, will be enhanced in three ways: 1) Teaching staff will receive basic training on common mental health conditions affecting youth in Ghana with an emphasis on depression and suicidal symptoms and treatment. The WHO guidelines for school health services will form the basis for the training for teachers. 2) Nurses in all schools and other relevant local health care professionals will be trained in mental health, substance-use and self-harm including guidelines on when and where to refer young people for psychiatric care. The World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health Gap intervention guide (mhGAP) will be used for training of nurses and other health care professionals . 3) The study team will provide a letter for the Guidance and Counselling Coordinators for the participant.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Zimbabwe

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Ghana

  collaborator OTHER

• Kamuzu University of Health Sciences

  collaborator OTHER

• Navrongo Health Research Centre, Ghana

  collaborator OTHER

• King's College London

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

15 Years

Max Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-07-01

Primary Completion

2025-02-01

Completion

2026-08-01

Countries

• Ghana

Study Locations