Mindfulness Intervention to Study the Neurobiology of Depression (MIND)

The Pediatric Mood Disorders Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago is conducting a research study examining how mindfulness can help teenagers stay healthy and prevent depression relapse.

Study involves: Brain scan using fMRI technology Questions about mood and behavior Meeting with a clinician Possibility of 8 weekly treatment sessions using mindfulness Ongoing assessment of depression for next 2 years Eligible participants will be compensated for their time.

Participants randomized to the experimental condition will receive 8 weeks of individual treatment with Rumination-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Participants randomized to the control arm will complete questionnaires and receive mood monitoring for the duration of the study

This intervention targets rumination and other maladaptive forms of emotion regulation such as suppression and avoidance and provides skills training in effective coping strategies. Mindfulness is a key component of this intervention as a strategy for disengaging from one's thoughts. Strategies from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), such as the use of effective interpersonal skills, are also included as methods for regulating strong emotion. Rumination-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a structured, manual based program designed to be delivered weekly over eight weeks. Sessions are 60-90 minutes in length.

clinician measure completed with adolescent and parent Total scores reported. Range is between 17-119 Higher scores mean higher depressive symptoms

Self report adolescent depression total score. Range is 30-120 with higher scores meaning greater depressive symptoms.

Inclusion Criteria: between the ages of 12 and 18 history of major depressive disorder Exclusion Criteria: braces afraid of small spaces

Bessette KL, Jacobs RH, Heleniak C, Peters AT, Welsh RC, Watkins ER, Langenecker SA. Malleability of rumination: An exploratory model of CBT-based plasticity and long-term reduced risk for depressive relapse among youth from a pilot randomized clinical trial. PLoS One. 2020 Jun 17;15(6):e0233539. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233539. eCollection 2020.

Jacobs RH, Watkins ER, Peters AT, Feldhaus CG, Barba A, Carbray J, Langenecker SA. Targeting Ruminative Thinking in Adolescents at Risk for Depressive Relapse: Rumination-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy in a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial with Resting State fMRI. PLoS One. 2016 Nov 23;11(11):e0163952. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163952. eCollection 2016.