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Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health
Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Antidepressant Drugs | Research

Evaluation of an information booklet for adolescents on depression: evidence from a randomized controlled study

Authors: Regine Primbs, Lisa Feldmann, Lucia Iglhaut, Antje-Kathrin Allgaier, Gerd Schulte-Körne, Ellen Greimel

Published in: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Background

Adolescents with depression often show barriers to seek treatment offers due to various reasons, including limited knowledge about the manifestation of the disorder, its treatment options, or fear of stigmatization. Psychoeducational approaches might reduce these barriers by increasing depression literacy. The aim of the present randomized controlled study was to evaluate whether an innovative and age-appropriate evidence-based information booklet about youth depression increases depression-specific knowledge in adolescents with depression and is also appealing to the target group.

Methods

50 adolescents with a history of depression (current/remitted) aged 12–18 years participated in the study including a pre-, post- and follow-up assessment. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The experimental group received a target group-specific information booklet about youth depression including seven subdomains. The active control group received an information booklet about asthma in youth that was highly comparable to the depression booklet in terms of format and length. Before and after reading, and at a four-week follow-up, we assessed knowledge about youth depression based on a questionnaire. Furthermore, participants evaluated the acceptability of the information booklets.

Results

Unlike the active control group, the experimental group showed a significant increase in depression-specific knowledge from pre to post and from pre to follow-up across all subdomains. This increase was evident in four subdomains (“symptoms”, “treatment”, “antidepressants”, and “causes”). The overall reception of the information booklet about depression was positive and participants stated that they would recommend the information booklet about depression to their peers.

Conclusion

This is the first randomized controlled study to demonstrate that an information booklet about youth depression effectively imparts depression-specific knowledge to participants with a history of depression and shows high acceptance. Information booklets that are appealing and increase depression-specific knowledge might be a promising low-threshold and cost-effective approach to reduce barriers to treatment and raise awareness.
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Metadata
Title
Evaluation of an information booklet for adolescents on depression: evidence from a randomized controlled study
Authors
Regine Primbs
Lisa Feldmann
Lucia Iglhaut
Antje-Kathrin Allgaier
Gerd Schulte-Körne
Ellen Greimel
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1753-2000
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-023-00614-x

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