Get ActivE Study for At-risk Youth

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH · Feb 11, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The Get ActivE Study is a research trial aimed at helping teenagers who are struggling with feelings of depression, lack of enjoyment in life (called anhedonia), and thoughts of suicide. This study uses a special app called Vira, along with support from health coaches, to encourage young people to participate in positive activities and improve their overall mood. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group will use the Vira app and interact with a health coach, while the other group will use a different app called EARS. The goal is to see if using these apps can help teens feel happier and manage their feelings better.

To be eligible for the study, participants need to be between 12 and 18 years old and currently experiencing moderate to severe depression. They should also be comfortable using smartphones and able to read and understand English. Throughout the study, participants will answer daily questions through the app and connect with their health coach via text or phone calls for support. This trial is currently recruiting participants, and it offers a promising way to help at-risk youth find joy and improve their mental health.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Adolescents age 12-18
• • Current moderate to severe depression (PHQ-9-M \> 11)
• • Current clinically significant anhedonia, operationalized as PHQ-9-M anhedonia item score \> 1
• • English language fluency and literacy level sufficient to engage in study protocol
• • Willing to download the app on their smart phones
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Evidence of mania, psychosis, or developmental disability precluding comprehension of study procedures per electronic health record review and phone screen.