Behavioral Activation for the Treatment of Adolescents with Major Depression | Neurobiology of depression study | Investigating Correlates of Emotion Dysregulation in Adolescents and Young Adults| Hope for the Future

 

Behavioral Activation for the Treatment of Adolescents with Major Depression

CAMP is currently investigating whether a new psychosocial intervention called Behavioral Activation (BA), which has shown substantial promise in adults with major depression, is also efficacious for treating depression in adolescents. BA helps people engage in activities that they find enjoyable and also targets the problem of avoidance, which often helps maintain depression. Some participants in the BA study may also qualify for one of our neuroimaging studies (for more information, click here). Services provided through this study are free, and you will be paid for your participation.

If you think your teen is depressed, and if s/he meets the following requirements, please call our study coordinator (404-727-4799) to complete a phone screen:

• Between the ages of 14 and 17 years old
• Not taking psychiatric medicine, except for medications used to treat ADHD (e.g., Ritalin, Adderall)
• Not currently receiving any other psychological treatment (or willing to discontinue other treatments)
• No active drug or alcohol problems
• No prior history of bipolar disorder
• No psychotic symptoms (e.g., hallucinations)

Neurobiology of Depression Study

Researchers at CAMP are interested in investigating how depression works in the brain. As part of our larger study on Behavioral Activation as a treatment for major depression (for more information on that study, click here), we are conducting a study comparing the brains of depressed and non-depressed teens. We are using a procedure called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to gather these data. Participants will complete a diagnostic clinical interview (approximately 3 hours) at CAMP to determine eligibility. Qualifying subjects will complete the fMRI at the Biomedical Imaging Technology Center (BITC) located in the Emory University Hospital. The scan will last for approximately 90 minutes. fMRI scanning is a painless and non-invasive method for looking at brain activity that involves no radiation. Participants will be paid $75 for completing the scan and can earn up to $25 in addition based on their performance on a game played while in the scanner.

We are currently recruiting both depressed and healthy adolescents, ages
14-17, to participate in this study. To learn more, please call us at
404-727-4799.

 

Investigating Correlates of Emotion Dysregulation in Adolescents and Young Adults

CAMP is currently researching adolescents and young adults who exhibit emotion regulation difficulties and who engage in non-suicidal self injury (NSSI; e.g., cutting). There are two primary goals of this study. First, we are interested in how adolescents with these kinds of difficulties process emotional expressions in other people. Second, we are interested in pain experiences of individuals who engage is NSSI. Participants who qualify will be asked to come in for one visit lasting approximately four hours and will be compensated $50 for their time.

If your teen engages in self-injury, and if s/he meet the following requirements, please call our study coordinator (404-727-4799) to complete a phone screen:

• Between the ages of 14 and 25 years old
• Do not have a history of:

              - Cardiovascular disorder

              - Fainting

              - Seizures

              - Frostbite

              - Reynaud's Disease

• Do not meet criteria for substance dependence in the previous month
• Do not meet criteria for psychotic spectrum disorder

 

Hope for the Future:

Teaching Goal-Directed Thinking to High School Students

Researchers at CAMP are currently investigating whether hopeful thinking can be taught to high school students and, if so, if it confers psychological and academic benefits. Hopeful thinking includes three parts: (1) goal setting,  (2) pathways thinking, or the ability to think of ways to achieve goals, and (3) agency thinking, or the motivation and energy needed to use those pathways. A group of students from a metro Atlanta area high school participated in three classes about hopeful thinking, taught by the CAMP research team, during January and February of 2011.  We are in the process of collecting follow-up assessments to determine whether the students who attended the classes have higher hope scores after the intervention, and whether students who have higher hope also have better academic and psychological outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety, self-esteem).