PhD by Dr Lucy Tindall: ‘The development and evaluation of an online Behavioural Activation programme for the treatment of low mood and depression in adolescents’
Lucy’s PhD developed and evaluated a new Behavioural Activation programme for adolescents (aged 11 to 16 years) experiencing low mood and depression. Supervised by professors Barry Wright, Dean McMillan and Antonina Mikocka-Walus, the project was conducted on a part-time basis between 2014and 21) - a time of significant pressure on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) with wide gaps between treatment provision and need. These pressures were compounded from 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study adopted a participatory and co-designed approach. An initial systematic review and meta-analysis provided an overview of existing research in the area and supported the rationale for the development of a new, online Behavioural Activation programme. Consolidating the findings of the systematic review with the perceptions and opinions of a sample of young people and professionals, whilst considering the biopsychosocial development of adolescents, a ten-session online Behavioural Activation programme was developed. Although an evaluation of the programme with 12 adolescents demonstrated it feasible to recruit to a treatment of this type and identified several treatment components considered to be acceptable, low adherence and high dropout highlighted the modifications required both to the programme and the delivery of future, similar research.
Overall, the PhD provided additional support to considering Behavioural Activation as an alternative treatment option for adolescents experiencing low mood and depression notwithstanding the need to carefully consider measures to support engagement and adherence. Online delivery may help to address the multifaceted barriers faced by adolescents when accessing timely support.
This PhD was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC; REF: 1500498).