A whole-of-society approach to depression prevention during the global pandemic: Preliminary data from three large-scale trials

Authors

Tracy R. Gladstone, Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, Brown University School of Public Health.
Patrick Pössel, Department of Counseling and Human Development, University of Louisville.
Cheryl Lefaiver, Advocate Health - MidwestFollow
Kristin L. Berg, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois.
Kristen Kenan, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois.
Katherine R. Buchholz, Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College.
Iulia Mihaila, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois.
Marian L. Fitzgibbon, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois.
Brianna Sheppard, National Center for Rural Health Professions, College of Medicine, University of Illinois.
Hélène A. Gussin, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois.
Cathy Joyce, Advocate Health - MidwestFollow
Huma Khan, Advocate Health - MidwestFollow
Jason Canel, Endeavor Health Medical Group.
Michael Gerges, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois.
Michael Berbaum, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois.
Linda Schiffer, Institute of Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois.
Kathleen R. Diviak, Institute of Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois.
Matthew Lowther, Department of Psychiatry, Institute for Juvenile Research, College of Medicine, University of Illinois.
Rebecca T. Feinstein, Department of Psychiatry, Institute for Juvenile Research, College of Medicine, University of Illinois.
Amanda Knepper, Department of Medicine, Division of Academic Internal Medicine, University of Illinois.
Erica Plunkett, Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, Brown University School of Public Health.
Katherine Lashway, Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, Brown University School of Public Health.
Pia M. Montenegro, Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, Brown University School of Public Health.
Amy Kane, Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, Brown University School of Public Health.
Yang Liu, Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, Brown University School of Public Health.
Aubrey Thornton, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois.
Eleanor Powell, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois.
Emily Pela, Institute of Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois.
Ashley McHugh, Advocate Health - MidwestFollow
Mathew Chong, Advocate Health - MidwestFollow
et al

Recommended Citation

Gladstone TRG, Pössel P, Lefaiver C, et al. A whole-of-society approach to depression prevention during the global pandemic: Preliminary data from three large-scale trials. J Consult Clin Psychol. Published online February 17, 2025. doi:10.1037/ccp0000938

Abstract

Objective:Despite the prevalence of depressive disorders among youth, there is no health system model to address the prevention of these disorders.

Method:With the goal of creating effective, tolerable, and scalable interventions for the prevention of adolescent depression, we have fielded three randomized clinical trials, centered in health care delivery organizations that use a whole-of-society approach: (a) Path 2 Purpose ( N = 664), comparing the Competent Adulthood Transition with Cognitive Behavioral, Humanistic, and Interpersonal Training (CATCH-IT; B. W. Van Voorhees et al., 2015), guided digital health intervention to a synchronous mental health specialist-led group cognitive behavioral intervention, Coping with Depression Course-Adolescent; (b) PATHway ( N = 400), examining the efficacy of the CATCH-IT components; and (c) Behavioral Health Stratified Treatment ( N = 780), which examines the feasibility and potential benefit of a coordinated care, risk stratification, and intervention matching approach for adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities using both CATCH-IT (lower risk) and the Coping with Depression Course-Adolescent (higher risk).

Results:The study samples for all three trials include youth from traditionally underrepresented groups (71.8%) with some economic distress (47.6%). Intervention utilization was moderate across trials. Feedback from study teams reveals general barriers to implementation and challenges specific to the pandemic.

Conclusions:We review these trials, report preliminary data on demographics and intervention utilization, and provide feedback from study teams on implementation challenges encountered. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Type

Article

PubMed ID

39964470