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N/A N=42 Randomized Treatment

Self-compassion Therapist-led Online Group Treatment for Adolescents With Distress, Anxiety, and Depression

Distress, Emotional · Anxiety · Depression

Enrolled (actual)
42
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
May 2025
Primary outcome: Primary: Perceived Stress Scale — 22.73; 20.85 units on a scale

Study Design & Population

Study type
Interventional
Phase
N/A
Interventions
Compassion focused group therapy online (Behavioral)
Age
Pediatric, Adult · 15+ yrs
Sex
All
Sponsor
Umeå University
Primary completion
Jun 2024

Outcome Measures

OutcomeResultp-value
PRIMARY
Perceived Stress Scale
22.73; 20.85
PRIMARY
The Subscale Anxiety in Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children
10.87; 6.15
PRIMARY
The Subscale Depression in Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children
11.33; 7.31

Summary

Background: Distress, anxiety and depression are highly prevalent in school health care or primary care. Many of these conditions remain undiscovered and/or untreated. Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) is effective in the treatment of adults' distress and depression, and we will now evaluate the preliminary effect of a brief therapist-led online group CFT, feasibility, and acceptability in low-threshold distressed, anxious, and depressed adolescents. We use online group CFT to increase availability. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine whether therapist-led online group CFT is feasible and acceptable for the treatment of depression in adolescents between 15 and 20 years of age, in Sweden. The preliminary effect will be calculated to examine if a larger experimental randomized controlled trial is justified. Study design: A two-arm (treatment group vs. control group) pilot randomized controlled trial will be carried out with 40 adolescents. The effect, feasibility, and acceptability of the therapist-led online CFT in groups will be evaluated.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Symptoms of distress (≥ 22 in PSS) and/or
  • Symptoms of anxiety (≥ 9 in subscale Anxiety in TSCC) and/or
  • Symptoms of depression (≥ 10 in subscale Depression in TSCC)
  • Adolescent giving informed consent
  • Caregiver giving informed consent if needed
  • Speaking Swedish
  • Able to read and fill forms in Swedish without troubles
  • At least one close and stable relationship with an adult
  • Able to be in a group on the internet

Exclusion Criteria

  • Severe psychological problems that can be hindering for participation in a group treatment
  • No close stable relationship with an adult
  • Suicidal risk (4 or higher in item 12 in MADRS-Y, together with a clinical decision of active suicidal plans during the diagnostic screening interview)
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Autism
  • Anorexia Nervosa
  • Current substance and alcohol dependence
  • Current psychosis
  • Current active psychotherapy
  • Current deposit or withdrawal of antidepressant
  • Prescribed medications for anxiety or depressive disorders do not exclude participants from the study, if the dosage had remained constant for at least one month.
View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05448014). 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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