"Culturally Adapted CBT for Depression in Arab and Asian Adolescents in the UAE (CA-CBT)"

Summary

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a culturally adapted form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CA-CBT) for reducing depression among Arab and Asian adolescents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Depression is a major concern for adolescents in the region, where cultural differences and stigma can make standard mental health treatments less effective.

A total of 175 adolescents aged 13-18, from Filipino, Arab, and other Asian backgrounds, were recruited from schools and communities across the UAE. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: (1) an 8-week CA-CBT program delivered in weekly sessions, or (2) a treatment-as-usual (TAU) group who received available community support.

The CA-CBT program was carefully adapted to reflect the cultural and religious values of participants, including family involvement, use of familiar metaphors, and respect for beliefs about mental illness. The goal was to make therapy more relatable, acceptable, and effective.

The main outcome measured was the severity of depression symptoms before and after the 8-week period. Other outcomes included anxiety, stress levels, and dropout rates. The results showed that CA-CBT significantly reduced depression symptoms more than standard care. The program also had fewer dropouts, meaning more students stayed in therapy.

These findings suggest that adapting evidence-based therapy to reflect cultural values can improve mental health outcomes in diverse communities. The research supports the use of culturally sensitive treatments in school and community mental health programs across multicultural societies like the UAE.

Conditions

• Depression
• Adolescent Depression
• Mental Health
• Psychological Stress
• Anxiety Disorder

Interventions

OTHER

Treatment-as-Usual (TAU)

Participants in the TAU group received standard care available within their community. This included optional access to school counselors, general practitioners, or local mental health clinics. No structured psychotherapy or manualized intervention was provided by the research team. This arm served as a pragmatic comparator to evaluate the added value of the Culturally Adapted Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CA-CBT) intervention.

BEHAVIORAL

Culturally Adapted Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CA-CBT)

CA-CBT is an 8-week manualized therapy program based on core CBT principles, adapted for Arab and Asian adolescents in the UAE. Adaptations followed the Southampton Adaptation Framework (SAF-CaCBT) and the PEN-3 model, including culturally relevant metaphors, integration of religious/spiritual beliefs, family involvement, and emphasis on academic and familial stressors. Sessions were delivered weekly for 60 minutes by trained therapists, with support in English, Arabic, and Tagalog.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Bath Spa University Academic Centre RAK

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

13 Years

Max Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-06-15

Primary Completion

2025-01-20

Completion

2025-04-20

Countries

• United Arab Emirates

Study Locations