Actively Recruiting

Phase Not Applicable
Age: 12Years - 18Years
All Genders
ID07163013

Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chinese Adolescents With Depressive Symptoms (CADS-D): A Randomized Clinical Trial

Led by First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University · Updated on 2026-01-27

200

Participants Needed

1

Research Sites

9 weeks

Total Duration

On this page

AI-Summary

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness and feasibility of a new digital cognitive behavioral therapy (DCBT) program called CADS-D for Chinese adolescents aged 12 to 18 years who have depressive symptoms. This trial compares the DCBT program to the usual mental health education provided by school staff. The study measures changes in depression symptoms and other mental health factors over time to understand how well the digital therapy works for this group. Participants in the intervention group will use the Moca mobile app, which delivers structured CBT through six to twelve weekly guided sessions lasting about 25 to 45 minutes each. These sessions include core CBT concepts, counseling dialogues, skill exercises, and homework assignments presented in various formats like text, animation, audio, and comics. The control group will follow the regular mental health curriculum provided by schools for six weeks. Both groups complete their programs over a six-week period. Participants will be assessed at the start, after six weeks, and again three months later. The study tracks depression severity using the Children's Depression Rating Scale, along with anxiety levels, psychological resilience, quality of life, and the feasibility of the digital therapy. They also monitor participants' mood during the intervention. The total participation lasts about 18 weeks, including follow-up, with safety and progress regularly evaluated throughout.

CONDITIONS

Brief Title

Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chinese Adolescents With Depressive Symptoms（CADS-D )

Who Can Participate

Age: 12Years - 18Years
All Genders

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible

You may qualify if you...

  • Age 12 to 18 years
  • Scored 28 or higher on the children's depression rating scale-revised (CDRS-R)
  • Ability to read and write in Chinese
  • Participant and at least one guardian provided written consent
  • Access to a mobile phone and internet
Not Eligible

You will not qualify if you...

  • Depressive symptoms are too severe to participate
  • Scored 5 or higher on item 13 (suicidal ideation) on CDRS-R
  • Diagnosis of other mental disorders besides depression
  • Severe physical illnesses or disabilities preventing use of DCBT
  • Currently or within past three months receiving antidepressant, psychotherapy, or physical therapy
  • Unavailable for follow-up after intervention period

AI-Screening

AI-Powered Screening

Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility

1
2
3
+1

Your Study Journey

Screening

Duration - 2 to 4 weeks

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.

1 visit (in-person)

Treatment

Duration - 6 weeks

Participants receive either a digital cognitive behavioral therapy program or the regular mental health curriculum provided by school staff over 6 weeks.

Baseline visit and post-intervention visit at 6 weeks

Follow-up

Duration - 12 weeks

Participants are assessed for outcomes 3 months after the intervention ends to evaluate lasting effects.

1 follow-up visit at 18 weeks

Trial Site Locations

Total: 1 location

1

The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University

Chongqing, China, 400016

Actively Recruiting

Loading map...

Research Team

X

Xinyu Zhou, Professor

How is the study designed?

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Masking

DOUBLE

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Model

PARALLEL

Primary Purpose

TREATMENT

Number of Arms

2

Similar Trials

Integrative Therapeutic Programme to Regulate Expressed Emot...

BPSD (Behavioral and Psycological Symptoms of Dementia)

Actively Recruiting

1 location

Nebulized Ketamine for the Treatment of Major Depressive Dis...

Severe Depression

Actively Recruiting

1 location

Frequently Asked Questions

Have more questions? Get in touch with our team for quick support

Not the Right Trial for You?

Explore thousands of other clinical trials that might be a better match.
Sign up to get personalized trial recommendations delivered to your inbox.

Already have an account? Log in here

Published Research Related To This Trial

Prevalence and Incidence of Anxiety and Depression Among Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults With Life-Limiting Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Mary M Barker, Bryony Beresford, Martin Bland...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31282938

Anxiety and depression are risk factors rather than consequences of functional somatic symptoms in a general population of adolescents: the TRAILS study.

Karin A M Janssens, Judith G M Rosmalen, Johan Ormel...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19788552

Prognostic Implications for Adolescents With Depression Who Drop Out of Psychological Treatment During a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Sally O'Keeffe, Peter Martin, Ian M Goodyer...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30946974

The addition of fluoxetine to cognitive behavioural therapy for youth depression (YoDA-C): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre clinical trial.

Christopher G Davey, Andrew M Chanen, Sarah E Hetrick...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31371212

Comparative efficacy and acceptability of antidepressants, psychotherapies, and their combination for acute treatment of children and adolescents with depressive disorder: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Xinyu Zhou, Teng Teng, Yuqing Zhang...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32563306

Delivering Cognitive Behavior Therapy to Young Adults With Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Using a Fully Automated Conversational Agent (Woebot): A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Kathleen Kara Fitzpatrick, Alison Darcy, Molly Vierhile

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28588005