The Use of SmartPhone App (Kandoo) to Enhance Efficacy of Brief Behavioral Activation in Reducing Mood Disorder Symptoms
Child Mind Institute
Summary
The current project is a pilot study that seeks to compare the efficacy of Brief Behavioral Activation's treatment-as-usual that uses paper and pencil tools to Kandoo, a digital, gamified version of activity scheduling and self-monitoring, in a diverse sample of youth presenting with clinically significant symptoms of depression. We will compare the level of pre- and post-treatment depressive symptoms in participants, who will participate in an 8-week brief behavioral activation treatment protocol augmented with Kandoo to the pre- and post- treatment depressive symptoms in the control participants, who will participate in 8-week, treatment as usual, brief behavioral activation treatment protocol. To explore treatment response for the clinically significant symptoms, we will obtain pre- and post-treatment measures of depression, global functioning, and patient goals. During the standard clinical intake, additional information will be obtained, including detailed demographics, medical history, mental health status, and social skills. Beyond determining the overall effectiveness of BBA augmented with Kandoo, the sample diversity and availability of clinical behavioral observations of the participants will permit the development of explanatory models of predictive factors for BBA with Kandoo intervention outcomes.
Description
Youth depression is one of the most common psychiatric conditions, affecting 1%-3% of prepubertal children and 3%-9% of adolescents. By late adolescence, between 20-25% of youth will have experienced at least one episode of major depression. Conservative prevalence estimates suggest that in a single year, between 12.5% of 12- to 17-year-olds experience symptoms of a major depressive episode5. Accordingly, pediatric mood disorders, including but not limited to major depressive disorder, are a major public health concern. These issues are serious and potentially lethal. In 15 year follow-up rese…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 13–25 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age: 13.0 to 25:11 years old 2. Sex: male and female 3. Currently enrolled as a patient in the CMI clinic or Fort Health Virtual Outpatient Mental Health Clinic 4. Current clinical presentation must include symptoms of mild-to-moderate depression, two of which must be depressed/irritable mood most of the day and markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day 5. Access to a smart device 6. Internet connectivity 7. Approval by parents and clinician for participants 13-17.11; approval by clinician for participan…
Interventions
- DeviceKandoo
Kandoo is an app that allows patients to track their activities in an engaging and gamified platform.
Location
- Child Mind InstituteNew York, New York