ArticlePloS one2025
Friendship Bench intervention to address depression and improve HIV care engagement among adolescents living with HIV in Malawi: Study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.
Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06173544 (HIV Engagement and Adolescent Depression Support), which is not on this map. Cited by 8 papers.
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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.
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.
HIV Engagement and Adolescent Depression Support (HEADS-UP)
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Addressing depression, stress, and hopelessness through an economic and relationship-strengthening intervention: Findings from a pilot randomized controlled trial among people with HIV in Malawi.Journal of affective disorders · 2026Trial
- Effectiveness of Friendship Bench in Alleviating Anxiety and Depression Symptoms Among People Living with HIV and High-Risk Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.AIDS and behavior · 2026Review
- Piloting a Near-Peer Lay Counselor Based Problem Solving Therapy Intervention for Youth With and Without HIV in Botswana: An Adaptation of the Friendship Bench.The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine · 2026Article
- Integrating safety planning, problem-solving therapy and peer support for suicide prevention among adolescents living with HIV in Malawi: An application of the ADAPT-ITT adaptation framework.Global mental health (Cambridge, England) · 2026Article
- Article
- 'You feel like it's better to just die': Death-centric stereotypes and stigma contribute to suicide risk for adolescents living with HIV in Malawi.PLOS global public health · 2025Article
- Stigma and discrimination faced by adolescents living with HIV and experiencing depression in Malawi.BMC global and public health · 2024Article
- Barriers to Belonging: How Stigma Disrupts Social Roles for Malawian Adolescents Living with HIV and Opportunities for Change.Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS CareArticle
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Authors and funding
12 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAdolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa are disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic. Comorbid depression is prevalent among adolescents living with HIV (ALWH) and poses numerous challenges to HIV care engagement and retainment. We present a pilot trial designed to investigate feasibility, fidelity, and acceptability of an adapted and an enhanced Friendship Bench intervention (henceforth: AFB and EFB) in reducing depression and improving engagement in HIV care among ALWH in Malawi.
methodsDesign: Participants will be randomized to one of three conditions: the Friendship Bench intervention adapted for ALWH (AFB, n = 35), the Friendship Bench intervention enhanced with peer support (EFB, n = 35), or standard of care (SOC, n = 35). Recruitment is planned for early 2024 in four clinics in Malawi. Participants: Eligibility criteria (1) aged 13-19; (2) diagnosed with HIV (vertically or horizontally); (3) scored ≥ 13 on the self-reported Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI-II); (4) living in the clinic's catchment area with intention to remain for at least 1 year; and (5) willing to provide informed consent. Interventions: AFB includes 6 counseling sessions facilitated by young, trained non-professional counselors. EFB consists of AFB plus integration of peer support group sessions to facilitate engagement in HIV care. SOC for mental health in public facilities in Malawi includes options for basic supportive counseling, medication, referral to mental health clinics or psychiatric units at tertiary care hospitals for more severe cases. Outcomes: The primary outcomes are feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity of the AFB and EFB assessed at 6 months and 12 months and compared across 3 arms. The secondary outcome is to assess preliminary effectiveness of the interventions in reducing depressive symptoms and improving HIV viral suppression at 6 months and 12 months. DISCUSSION: This pilot study will provide insights into youth-friendly adaptations of the Friendship Bench model for ALWH in Malawi and the value of adding group peer support for HIV care engagement. The information gathered in this study will lead to a R01 application to test our adapted intervention in a large-scale cluster randomized controlled trial to improve depression and engagement in HIV care among ALWH.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06173544).
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