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Phase 2 N=65 Randomized Single-blind Treatment

Technology Enhanced Family Treatment

Mood Disorders · Bipolar Disorder · Major Depression

Enrolled (actual)
65
Serious AEs
12.3%
Results posted
May 2024
Primary outcome: Primary: Average Depression Symptom Scores Over 27 Weeks on the Adolescent Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation — 3.39; 3.09 score on a scale

Study Design & Population

Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2
Interventions
Family-Focused Treatment with MCC App (Behavioral)
Age
Pediatric, Adult · 13+ yrs
Sex
All
Sponsor
University of California, Los Angeles
Primary completion
Oct 2021

Outcome Measures

OutcomeResultp-value
PRIMARY
Average Depression Symptom Scores Over 27 Weeks on the Adolescent Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation
3.39; 3.09
SECONDARY
Mood Instability, as Rated by Parents and Children Using the Children's Affective Lability Scale (CALS)
38.43; 33.79
SECONDARY
Expressed Emotion in Parents From the Five Minute Speech Sample
17; 16
SECONDARY
Free Speech Samples Coded Using the Linguistic Inquiry Word Count System.
SECONDARY
Children's Global Assessment of Functioning
65.97; 62.16

Summary

The investigators propose to enhance the scalability of family-focused therapy (FFT), a 12-session evidence-based therapy for youth at high risk for mood disorders, through augmentation with a novel mobile phone application called MyCoachConnect (MCC). In adolescents with mood instability who have a parent with bipolar or major depressive disorder, clinicians in community clinics will conduct FFT sessions (consisting of psychoeducation and family skills training) supplemented by weekly MCC "real time" assessments of moods and family relationships; based on results of these assessments and the family's progress in treatment, clinicians will then push personalized informational and coaching alerts regarding the practice of communication and problem-solving skills. The investigators hypothesize that the augmented version of FFT (FFT-MCC) will be more effective than FFT without coaching/informational alerts in altering treatment targets and in stabilizing youths' mood symptoms and quality of life.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • English speaking and has access to smart-phones, a tablet, or computer
  • Age 13-19 years old
  • One parent with diagnosis of bipolar disorder type I, bipolar disorder type II, or
  • major depressive disorder.
  • At least one parent is rated high in perceived criticism of the child.
  • Child shows evidence of mood instability
  • Child is not currently in individual therapy.

Exclusion Criteria

  • Over 6 on the Autism Spectrum Disorder screener
  • a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition manic episode of bipolar I disorder has occurred in the past 2 weeks
  • history of persistent psychotic symptoms that have not remitted when mood states remit.
  • intelligence quotient below 70 from school records
  • Any significant and persistent substance or alcohol abuse in the prior 3 months
  • Previously received a full course (i.e., 10-12 sessions) of FFT
  • Current, active sexual abuse, physical abuse, or domestic violence.
View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03913013). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.

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