| Abstract |
Background: Rates of depression and anxiety in adolescents are rising and access to effective treatment remains limited. Public schools are instrumental in reducing barriers to treatment. Objective: The present study describes a community-engaged approach to the adaptation and open trial of The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A; Ehrenreich-May et al. 2018) delivered as a group-based intervention in a Chicago Public High School among predominantly low-income Black and Latine adolescents experiencing elevated depression symptoms (i.e. “Healthy Minds, Happy Lives program;” HMHL). Methods: This study utilized qualitative and quantitative analyses to evaluate: (1) the systematic adaptation process that aimed to balance fidelity (to the original UP-A intervention) and flexibility (e.g. the school-based group delivery, and community partner input), (2) the initial feasibility and acceptability of the HMHL intervention by analyzing salient themes from focus groups, and (3) pre- to post-intervention changes in symptoms, in order to inform intervention refinement and methodological considerations for a pilot clinical trial. Our adaptation process utilized the Framework for Reporting Adaptations and Modifications to Evidence-based Interventions and relied on the engagement of key school-staff partners (N = 8) and student-trial participants with elevated depression symptoms (N = 16). Focus group content was coded and thematically analyzed. Outcome trends were evaluated using reliable change indices. Results: Preliminary feasibility was promising, with participants attending an average of 7 out of 8 hMHL sessions and retention was excellent with 100% of participants completing the program. Additionally, most trial participants demonstrated a clinically meaningful reduction in depression symptoms and increased emotional state awareness following the intervention. Conclusions: HMHL may be a feasible and acceptable intervention for increasing access to care for youth who may otherwise not have access to evidence-based services. Recommendations are provided for enhancing both the content and delivery of the intervention. |
| Authors |
Michael C. Meinzer  , Ariela Kaiser , Nellie A. Shippen , Anne E. Stevens  , Berta Garcia , Anjali Patel , Jennifer Corona , Natália Torres
|
| Journal Info |
Taylor & Francis | Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health , pages: 1 - 19
|
| Publication Date |
12/15/2024 |
| ISSN |
2379-4925 |
Type |
article |
| Open Access |
closed
|
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.1080/23794925.2024.2440920 |
| Keywords |
Depression (Score: 0.50584006)
|
