Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31898512›Full record

ArticleTrials2020

A trial protocol for the effectiveness of digital interventions for preventing depression in adolescents: The Future Proofing Study.

Aliza Werner-Seidler, Kit Huckvale, Mark E Larsen, Alison L Calear, Kate Maston, Lara Johnston, Michelle Torok, Bridianne O'Dea, Philip J Batterham, Susanne Schweizer and 14 more

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Trials, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
28citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

28 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  9. Multilevel risk and protective factors for self-harm, suicidal ideation and suicide attempt in adolescents.Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

24 authors.

Aliza Werner-SeidlerBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. a.werner-seidler@blackdog.org.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9046-6159
Kit HuckvaleBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Mark E LarsenBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Alison L CalearCentre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Kate MastonBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Lara JohnstonBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Michelle TorokBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Bridianne O'DeaBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Philip J BatterhamCentre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
Susanne SchweizerSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
S Rachel SkinnerDiscipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Katharine SteinbeckDiscipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Julie RatcliffeCollege of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
Ju-Lee OeiSchool of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
George PattonMurdoch Children's Research Institute and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Iana WongBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Joanne BeamesBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Quincy J J WongSchool of Social Sciences and Psychology, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Raghu LingamPopulation Child Health Clinical Research Group, School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Katherine BoydellBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Allison M SalmonBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Nicole CockayneBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Andrew MackinnonBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Helen ChristensenBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Funding

Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust Sir Henry Wellcome Fellowship
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDepression frequently first emerges during adolescence, and one in five young people will experience an episode of depression by the age of 18 years. Despite advances in treatment, there has been limited progress in addressing the burden at a population level. Accordingly, there has been growing interest in prevention approaches as an additional pathway to address depression. Depression can be prevented using evidence-based psychological programmes. However, barriers to implementing and accessing these programmes remain, typically reflecting a requirement for delivery by clinical experts and high associated delivery costs. Digital technologies, specifically smartphones, are now considered a key strategy to overcome the barriers inhibiting access to mental health programmes. The Future Proofing Study is a large-scale school-based trial investigating whether cognitive behaviour therapies (CBT) delivered by smartphone application can prevent depression.

methodsA randomised controlled trial targeting up to 10,000 Year 8 Australian secondary school students will be conducted. In Stage I, schools will be randomised at the cluster level either to receive the CBT intervention app (SPARX) or to a non-active control group comparator. The primary outcome will be symptoms of depression, and secondary outcomes include psychological distress, anxiety and insomnia. At the 12-month follow-up, participants in the intervention arm with elevated depressive symptoms will participate in an individual-level randomised controlled trial (Stage II) and be randomised to receive a second CBT app which targets sleep difficulties (Sleep Ninja) or a control condition. Assessments will occur post intervention (both trial stages) and at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months post baseline. Primary analyses will use an intention-to-treat approach and compare changes in symptoms from baseline to follow-up relative to the control group using mixed-effect models. DISCUSSION: This is the first trial testing the effectiveness of smartphone apps delivered to school students to prevent depression at scale. Results from this trial will provide much-needed insight into the feasibility of this approach. They stand to inform policy and commission decisions concerning if and how such programmes should be deployed in school-based settings in Australia and beyond.

trial registrationAustralian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry, ACTRN12619000855123. Registered on 31 May 2019. Clinical Trial Notification Scheme (CTN), CT-2019-CTN-02110-1-v1. Registered on 30 June 2019.

Indexed as

SchoolsAdolescentCognitive Behavioral TherapyDepressionFemaleHumansMaleMulticenter Studies as TopicRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicStudentsTherapy, Computer-AssistedTreatment OutcomeAdolescentsCognitive behaviour therapyDepressionDigital healtheHealthMental healthmHealthPreventionSchoolSmartphone application

Identifiers

PMID31898512
PMCPMC6941300

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.