Study of Mind-Body Skills Groups for Adolescents With Depression in Primary Care

Pilot Study of Mind-Body Skills Groups for Adolescents With Depression in Primary Care

The Center for Mind -Body Medicine has developed a mind-body skills group program that incorporates meditation, guided imagery, breathing techniques, autogenic training, biofeedback, genograms, and self-expression through words, drawings, and movement. These mind-body skills are designed to increase self-awareness and self-regulation. This program has been shown to significantly improve depression symptoms in children and adolescents with posttraumatic stress disorder in Gaza, but it has not yet been tested in a US adolescent population. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of using mind-body skills groups to reduce depression in adolescents and to investigate the effects of the program on factors such as self-efficacy, mindfulness and rumination which are likely to mediate improvement.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Eskenazi Primary Care patients at time of screening
• 13-17 years old
• Diagnosis of depression confirmed by Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) Kid Screen (with adolescent)
• English speaking
• Willingness to attend mind body skills group for duration of the intervention (10 sessions over approximately 10 weeks)

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of bipolar disorder or psychosis
• Acute and immediate risk of suicide, determined by clinical assessment
• Lack of capacity to assent (adolescent) or lack of capacity to consent (parent/guardian)
• Previous participation by the adolescent in the Eskenazi Mind Body Group intervention