DepressionNCT06360107
RCT of a Brief Video Intervention Targeting Peer Inclusion to Reduce Depression-related Stigma in Adolescents
A study testing brief video in people with Depression and Adolescent - Emotional Problem, run by New York State Psychiatric Institute at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this study is to test the efficacy of a brief video intervention emphasizing peer inclusion on depression-related stigma and stigma outcomes (e.g., help seeking attitudes, secrecy) among adolescents 14-18. Timely identification and treatment of depression in adolescents is a public health priority. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 14 to 18 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Depression, Adolescent - Emotional Problem, Stigma, Social
- What is being tested?
- brief video
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 645 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 17 Dec 2024to 14 Feb 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 14 to 18 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Self-identify as English-speaking
- US residents
- 14-18 years old
Who cannot join
- Non English speakers
- Do not reside in the US
- <14 or greater than or equal to 19 years old
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
New York State Psychiatric Institute
New York, New York, 10032
About this study
Official title: RCT of a Brief Video Intervention Targeting Peer Social Inclusion to Reduce Depression-related Stigma and Increase Help-seeking Among Adolescents
The goal of this study is to test the efficacy of a brief video intervention emphasizing peer inclusion on depression-related stigma and stigma outcomes (e.g., help seeking attitudes, secrecy) among adolescents 14-18.
Timely identification and treatment of depression in adolescents is a public health priority. However, most youth with depression do not seek treatment, and stigma has been identified as the primary barrier to help-seeking. Experiments have found brief video-based interventions (BVIs), 1-2 minute videos similar to those viewed by youth on social media platforms, based on the principle of "social contact" with individuals affected by a stigmatized condition, effective in reducing depression-related stigma and increasing help-seeking among adolescents. However, given the extreme time constraints of these videos, optimizing the messaging is paramount. Prior research has indicated that concerns about peer social inclusion are fundamental in shaping stigma among adolescents.
In this 3-arm RCT, we will recruit adolescents aged 14-18 using an online crowdsourcing platform, to test the efficacy of a) standard BVI that addresses mental health treatment but does not address concerns about peer inclusion/exclusion, b) novel BVI focused on mental health treatment and peer inclusion, and c) control condition that provides information without social contact.
Read the detailed description
Brief video-based interventions (BVIs) have been studied as a means of reducing stigma toward mental health problems and increasing help-seeking among youth. "Contact-based interventions," in which a representative of a stigmatized group shares their personal stories, have been found one of the most effective anti-stigma intervention. Effective contact-based interventions target to a specific population, account for the specific interests of that population, and credibly provide stories that highlight recovery in a plausible manner to moderately disconfirm stereotypes. BVIs package contact-based stigma interventions into a format desirable to youth-- short (1-2 minute) messages in the style of social media content. Prior RCTs have tested BVIs targeting depression-related stigma in adolescents, featuring a young person describing experiences with depressive symptoms, that improved as they sought support from parents and professionals, compared to a control video of a young person discussing family and activities with no mention of mental health. Prior BVIs have not emphasized adolescent concerns about peer rejection and identity. Since existing research emphasizes the central nature of these concerns in shaping mental health-related stigma among adolescents [4, 5], BVIs that address peer social concerns may be most effective. Thus, we hypothesize that a BVI focused on peer inclusion will have greater impact on reducing stigma and increasing help-seeking than a BVI with more general content.
We will measure three distinct domains of stigma:
- personally held attitudes,
- perceptions of how peers may devalue and discriminate against teens with depression, and
- secrecy (i.e., to avoid potential negative repercussions of stigma).
- Being tested
- brief video
- Medical subject headings
- Depression, Social Stigma, Help-Seeking Behavior
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
brief videoOther
brief video about depression
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Peer social-inclusion enhanced social contact brief video | Experimental | Novel brief video (1-2 mins) in which an adolescent talks about feeling depressed, and the impact this has on peer relationships, getting treatment, selectively disclosing mood problems with some friends, and experiencing support from both peers and family which helped facilitate recovery from depression. Receives: Other: brief video |
| Generic social contact brief video | Active comparator | Similar to existing brief videos (1-2 mins), an adolescent talks about feeling depressed, and then asking parents for help, and receiving professional treatment. This video does not make any references to peers or social support. Receives: Other: brief video |
| Control | Other | Brief video (1-2 mins) provides information about symptoms of depression and how to seek help with computer-generated voice, to isolate mechanisms of information from identification and emotional engagement. Receives: Other: brief video |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Depression Stigma Scale (modified)
measures personally held attitudes toward depression; modified to remove element irrelevant to teens
Measured: immediately after viewing video
Ultra-brief Self-stigma of Help-Seeking
attitudes toward seeking professional help for mental health problem
Measured: immediately after viewing video
Secondary outcomes (1)
Adolescent Stigma Scale (modified)
subscales measuring perceived societal devaluation and secrecy coping
Measured: immediately after viewing video
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Apr 2024
- Study start17 Dec 2024
- Primary completion14 Feb 2025
- Study completion14 Feb 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for DepressionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 645 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- New York State Psychiatric Institute
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Columbia University
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Doron Amsalem, New York State Psychiatric Institute
- Investigators
- Doron Amsalem, MD, Principal investigator, Columbia University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06360107
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 76729
- Status last verified
- Mar 2025
- First submitted
- 8 Apr 2024
- Last updated
- 6 Mar 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Amsalem D, Martin A. Reducing depression-related stigma and increasing treatment seeking among adolescents: randomized controlled trial of a brief video intervention. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2022 Feb;63(2):210-217. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13427. Epub 2021 Apr 6.
PubMed 33821507
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Mar 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- RCT of a Brief Video Intervention Targeting Peer Social Inclusion to Reduce Depression-related Stigma and Increase Help-seeking Among Adolescents
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06360107
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 76729
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 645 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- New York State Psychiatric InstituteUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Columbia University
- Study start
- 17 Dec 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 14 Feb 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 14 Feb 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 11 Apr 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this study is to test the efficacy of a brief video intervention emphasizing peer inclusion on depression-related stigma and stigma outcomes (e.g., help seeking attitudes, secrecy) among adolescents 14-18.
Timely identification and treatment of depression in adolescents is a public health priority. However, most youth with depression do not seek treatment, and stigma has been identified as the primary barrier to help-seeking. Experiments have found brief video-based interventions (BVIs), 1-2 minute videos similar to those viewed by youth on social media platforms, based on the principle of "social contact" with individuals affected by a stigmatized condition, effective in reducing depression-related stigma and increasing help-seeking among adolescents. However, given the extreme time constraints of these videos, optimizing the messaging is paramount. Prior research has indicated that concerns about peer social inclusion are fundamental in shaping stigma among adolescents.
In this 3-arm RCT, we will recruit adolescents aged 14-18 using an online crowdsourcing platform, to test the efficacy of a) standard BVI that addresses mental health treatment but does not address concerns about peer inclusion/exclusion, b) novel BVI focused on mental health treatment and peer inclusion, and c) control condition that provides information without social contact.
Detailed description
Brief video-based interventions (BVIs) have been studied as a means of reducing stigma toward mental health problems and increasing help-seeking among youth. "Contact-based interventions," in which a representative of a stigmatized group shares their personal stories, have been found one of the most effective anti-stigma intervention. Effective contact-based interventions target to a specific population, account for the specific interests of that population, and credibly provide stories that highlight recovery in a plausible manner to moderately disconfirm stereotypes. BVIs package contact-based stigma interventions into a format desirable to youth-- short (1-2 minute) messages in the style of social media content. Prior RCTs have tested BVIs targeting depression-related stigma in adolescents, featuring a young person describing experiences with depressive symptoms, that improved as they sought support from parents and professionals, compared to a control video of a young person discussing family and activities with no mention of mental health. Prior BVIs have not emphasized adolescent concerns about peer rejection and identity. Since existing research emphasizes the central nature of these concerns in shaping mental health-related stigma among adolescents [4, 5], BVIs that address peer social concerns may be most effective. Thus, we hypothesize that a BVI focused on peer inclusion will have greater impact on reducing stigma and increasing help-seeking than a BVI with more general content.
We will measure three distinct domains of stigma:
- personally held attitudes,
- perceptions of how peers may devalue and discriminate against teens with depression, and
- secrecy (i.e., to avoid potential negative repercussions of stigma).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Peer social-inclusion enhanced social contact brief video | Experimental | Other: brief videoNovel brief video (1-2 mins) in which an adolescent talks about feeling depressed, and the impact this has on peer relationships, getting treatment, selectively disclosing mood problems with some friends, and experiencing support from both peers and family which helped facilitate recovery from depression. |
| Generic social contact brief video | Active comparator | Other: brief videoSimilar to existing brief videos (1-2 mins), an adolescent talks about feeling depressed, and then asking parents for help, and receiving professional treatment. This video does not make any references to peers or social support. |
| Control | Other | Other: brief videoBrief video (1-2 mins) provides information about symptoms of depression and how to seek help with computer-generated voice, to isolate mechanisms of information from identification and emotional engagement. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 14 to 18 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Self-identify as English-speaking
- US residents
- 14-18 years old
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Non English speakers
- Do not reside in the US
- <14 or greater than or equal to 19 years old
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| brief videobrief video about depression | Other | Control, Generic social contact brief video, Peer social-inclusion enhanced social contact brief video |
Primary outcome
Depression Stigma Scale (modified)
Time frame: immediately after viewing video
measures personally held attitudes toward depression; modified to remove element irrelevant to teens
Ultra-brief Self-stigma of Help-Seeking
Time frame: immediately after viewing video
attitudes toward seeking professional help for mental health problem
1 secondary outcome
Adolescent Stigma Scale (modified)
Time frame: immediately after viewing video
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Mar 2025.
- Background: PubMed 33821507Amsalem D, Martin A. Reducing depression-related stigma and increasing treatment seeking among adolescents: randomized controlled trial of a brief video intervention. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2022 Feb;63(2):210-217. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13427. Epub 2021 Apr 6.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Doron Amsalem, MD principal investigator
Columbia University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing brief video in people with Depression and Adolescent - Emotional Problem, run by New York State Psychiatric Institute at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Mar 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Depression Stigma Scale (modified) (time frame: immediately after viewing video). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06360107, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Mar 2025.