Abstract
Purpose: Depressive symptoms are on the rise in youth, with 40% of youth reporting clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms in 2021 [1]. In youth with clinically significant depressive symptoms, nearly half will progress to major depressive disorder by age 25 years [2,3]. However, there are few treatments to prevent mild depressive symptoms in youth from progressing to major depressive disorder [4-8]. The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the effect of a novel intervention, Level Up, on self-management behaviors (mindfulness, sleep) and health status (depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, HRQL) in youth who have mild depressive symptoms.
Methods: An exploratory 2-group randomized enhanced waitlist control design (n=20 Level Up; n=20 enhanced waiting list) will evaluate the effect of Level Up on health status (depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, HRQL) and self-management behavior (mindfulness, sleep) in youth ages 11-13 with mild depressive symptoms. Level Up includes eight 60-minute weekly group sessions that teach youth and a parent self-management collaboration, mindfulness, and sleep skills. Youth will complete measures assessing depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, HRQL, mindfulness, sleep, and contextual variables at baseline and 1, 2, and 4 months from start of the intervention.
Results: The longitudinal effect of Level Up on sleep, mindfulness, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and HRQL in youth will be done using linear mixed-effects modeling. We hypothesize that youth receiving Level Up will exhibit decreases in depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms and increases in HRQL, mindfulness, and sleep.
Conclusions: This in-progress study will assess the effect of Level Up to prevent a major depressive disorder diagnosis in youth ages 11-13 years old. When Level Up is found to influence self-management behavior in youth, it can be applied at a large scale to prevent mild depressive symptoms from progressing into clinical depression.
Notes
References:
1. Jones SE, Ethier KA, Hertz M, et al. Mental Health, Suicidality, and Connectedness Among High School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, United States, January-June 2021. MMWR Suppl. Apr 1 2022;71(3):16-21. doi:10.15585/mmwr.su7103a3
2. Reinert MF, D.; Nguyen, T. The State of Mental Health in America 2022. 2021. October 2021. https://www.mhanational.org/issues/2022/mental-health-america-youth-data
3. National Institute of Medicine. Major Depression. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2024. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression
4. Bernaras E, Jaureguizar J, Garaigordobil M. Child and Adolescent Depression: A Review of Theories, Evaluation Instruments, Prevention Programs, and Treatments. Front Psychol. 2019;10:543. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00543
5. Davey CG, McGorry PD. Early intervention for depression in young people: A blind spot in mental health care. Lancet Psychiatry. Mar 2019;6(3):267-272. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30292-X
6. Colizzi M, Lasalvia A, Ruggeri M. Prevention and early intervention in youth mental health: Is it time for a multidisciplinary and trans-diagnostic model for care? Int J Ment Health Syst. 2020;14:23. doi:10.1186/s13033-020-00356-9
7. Fusar-Poli P, Correll CU, Arango C, Berk M, Patel V, Ioannidis JPA. Preventive psychiatry: a blueprint for improving the mental health of young people. World Psychiatry. Jun 2021;20(2):200-221. doi:10.1002/wps.20869
8. Hardin H, McVoy M. A Novel Self-Management Intervention for Depressive Symptoms in Youth: Initial Feasibility. Sigma International Nursing Research Congress; Singapore, Singapore: July 2023.
Sigma Membership
Alpha
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Approach
Quantitative Research
Keywords:
Public and Community Health, Interprofessional Interdisciplinary, Health Equity or Social Determinants of Health, Depression, Youth, Novel Interventions
Recommended Citation
Hardin, Heather K.; Meyer, Allison; Otte, Julie; and Daggy, Joanne, "A Novel Intervention to Prevent Depression in Youth: An In-Progress Randomized Clinical Trial" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 131.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/posters_2025/131
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
A Novel Intervention to Prevent Depression in Youth: An In-Progress Randomized Clinical Trial
Seattle, Washington, USA
Purpose: Depressive symptoms are on the rise in youth, with 40% of youth reporting clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms in 2021 [1]. In youth with clinically significant depressive symptoms, nearly half will progress to major depressive disorder by age 25 years [2,3]. However, there are few treatments to prevent mild depressive symptoms in youth from progressing to major depressive disorder [4-8]. The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the effect of a novel intervention, Level Up, on self-management behaviors (mindfulness, sleep) and health status (depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, HRQL) in youth who have mild depressive symptoms.
Methods: An exploratory 2-group randomized enhanced waitlist control design (n=20 Level Up; n=20 enhanced waiting list) will evaluate the effect of Level Up on health status (depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, HRQL) and self-management behavior (mindfulness, sleep) in youth ages 11-13 with mild depressive symptoms. Level Up includes eight 60-minute weekly group sessions that teach youth and a parent self-management collaboration, mindfulness, and sleep skills. Youth will complete measures assessing depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, HRQL, mindfulness, sleep, and contextual variables at baseline and 1, 2, and 4 months from start of the intervention.
Results: The longitudinal effect of Level Up on sleep, mindfulness, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and HRQL in youth will be done using linear mixed-effects modeling. We hypothesize that youth receiving Level Up will exhibit decreases in depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms and increases in HRQL, mindfulness, and sleep.
Conclusions: This in-progress study will assess the effect of Level Up to prevent a major depressive disorder diagnosis in youth ages 11-13 years old. When Level Up is found to influence self-management behavior in youth, it can be applied at a large scale to prevent mild depressive symptoms from progressing into clinical depression.
Description
The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the effect of a novel intervention, Level Up, on self-management behaviors (mindfulness, sleep) and health status (depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, HRQL) in youth who have mild depressive symptoms. This in-progress study will assess the effect of Level Up to prevent a major depressive disorder diagnosis in youth ages 11-13 years old.