Digital Interventions for Relapse Prevention in Adolescence

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Transdiagnostic app intervention: A transdiagnostic, self-guided CBT app, called TankeVirus (literally translated Thought Viruses), consisting of three components: 1. Standardized self-assessment for mental health: 'Test your psychological immune system'. 2. Educational mini-series: A 30-minute, entertaining video series that teaches users to build resilience by addressing essential needs like sleep (psychological immune system), recognizing negative thought patterns (thought viruses), and developing healthier coping mechanisms (psychological vitamins). 3. Daily practice: Over 20 days, users receive a short, 1-2-minute video each morning. These videos provide practical tips, small experiments, or simple tasks designed to help users integrate healthier coping strategies into their daily lives.

Transdiagnostic mastery course: Group-based webinar offering psychoeducation based on principles of CBT.

Study summary

Some adolescents experience periods of anxiety and/or depression, and some find that these periods return over time. The purpose of this study is to examine whether digital interventions-where individuals work systematically with their own thoughts and feelings during periods when they feel well-can help them maintain well-being for longer.

The study includes adolescents aged 16-19 who have previously experienced episodes of depression and/or anxiety to a degree that led them to seek help (e.g., from a school nurse, general practitioner, health clinic, or child and adolescent mental health service). Through a research app on their smartphones, participants complete tasks and answer questionnaires. The study is fully digital. Some participants meet with a therapist in digital group sessions, while others work independently with the digital content.

We will also examine the cost-benefit aspects of offering such interventions. If the study achieves its goals, digital interventions may eventually become a service offered to adolescents recovering from depression and anxiety.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Relapse: Number of participants scoring above the diagnostic cut-off on the PHQ-9 modified for teens during the 12-month follow-up. — From enrollment to the end of follow-up at 12-months.
  To use the PHQ-9 as a diagnostic aid for Major Depressive Disorder: * Questions 1 and/or 2 need to be endorsed as a "2" or "3" * Need five or more positive symptoms (positive is defined by a "2" or "3" in questions 1-8 and "1", "2", or "3" in question 9). * The functional impairment question (How difficult….) needs to be rated at least as "somewhat difficult."
• Time until relapse; reaching the diagnostic criteria of MDD according to PHQ-9 modified for teens — From enrollment to 12-months follow-up
  Number of days until the diagnostic criteria of MDD as assessed PHQ-9 modified for teens has been reached. \- Questions 1 and/or 2 need to be endorsed as a "2" or "3" * Need five or more positive symptoms (positive is defined by a "2" or "3" in questions 1-8 and by a "1", "2", or "3" in question 9). * The functional impairment question (How difficult….) needs to be rated at least as "somewhat difficult."

Trial sites (1)

More University of Oslo trials in Norway