IPT-based Group Intervention by Non-specialist for Improvement of Depressive Symptoms in Community Young Adults in Brazil: a Randomized Clinical Trial

What this Trial Is About

Major depressive disorder is a common, recurring, and serious condition that negatively impacts quality of life and is expected to be a leading cause of disability globally. This trial focuses on young adults aged 18 to 24 with depression, aiming to evaluate an interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) group intervention delivered by non-specialists. The study is randomized and controlled, comparing participants receiving IPT to a waiting list control group. The intervention involves weekly group psychotherapy sessions for eight weeks, with groups of up to 10 participants. The sessions focus on improving interpersonal relationships based on the IPT model and are led by a university student and a doctor trained in IPT. Participants are recruited via social media and randomly assigned to either the treatment or waiting list group. Participants will be assessed before and during the eight weeks of treatment using several measures including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Social Support Scale, Quality of Life questionnaire, Clinical Global Impression, and Beck Depression Inventory. These assessments help researchers track changes in depressive symptoms and social functioning. The trial is sponsored by Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre and is planned to run until the end of 2028.

IPT-based Group Intervention by Non-specialist for Improvement of Depressive Symptoms in Community Young Adults in Brazil