NCT03816215

Volunteering as an Intervention to Reduce Depression Among Adolescents

Volunteering as an Intervention to Reduce Depression Among Adolescents: Investigating Neurobiological Mechanisms

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 9 (actual)
• Sponsor: Wake Forest University Health Sciences · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 14 Years – 20 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of the present study is to test in a preliminary manner an innovative strategy for treating depression among adolescents (alongside existing therapy) using community volunteerism.

Detailed description

The purpose of the present study is to test in a preliminary manner an innovative strategy for treating depression among adolescents (alongside existing therapy) using community volunteerism. In addition, this study will test a potential mechanism by which volunteering might decrease depressive symptoms: increasing psychosocial assets, specifically decreasing self-orientation and increasing an orientation toward others. This will be measured through self-report as well as using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). This study will be the first study to explore how neural response patterns are potentially altered by intense experiences with volunteerism among depressed adolescents.

Conditions

• Depression
• Adolescent Behavior
• Depressive Symptoms

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Volunteer experience	Participants will be assigned to a meaningful volunteer experience from a menu of local options (e.g., volunteering at an animal shelter or in a library) for 30 hours.

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-06-03
• Primary completion: 2020-08-01
• Completion: 2020-08-01
• First posted: 2019-01-25
• Last updated: 2021-03-02

Locations

3 sites across 1 country: United States