Trial results for a study investigating depression and suicidal ideation in Black youth were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2025-09-15. The study enrolled a total of 29 participants, comparing an intervention designed to improve engagement with standard treatment.
Background
Depression and suicidal ideation present significant public health challenges, particularly among Black adolescents, who often face unique barriers to accessing and completing evidence-based treatments. Addressing these engagement challenges and factors that hinder treatment success in real-world settings is crucial for improving outcomes. The Making Connections Intervention (MCI) was developed as a brief, evidence-based approach to enhance engagement and perceived relevance of depression treatment, aiming to bridge gaps in care for this vulnerable population.
Trial design
This completed study, designated as Phase NA, enrolled 29 participants to investigate conditions including Depression and Suicidal Ideation. The trial examined the effectiveness of the Making Connections Intervention (MCI) when combined with Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents (IPT-A), and investigated key mediators of both engagement and response to treatment for depression. Participants were assigned to either the MCI + IPT-A group or the IPT-A Only group.
Key results
The trial reported several key measurements related to depression symptom severity and participant counts:
- Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (units on a scale):
- For the MCI + IPT-A group, the mean score was 36.84 (Standard Deviation 11.85).
- For the IPT-A Only group, the mean score was 40.90 (Standard Deviation 11.60).
- Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (units on a scale):
- For the MCI + IPT-A group, the mean score was 14.47 (Standard Deviation 8.66).
- For the IPT-A Only group, the mean score was 16.60 (Standard Deviation 7.33).
- Demographic Form (participants):
- For the MCI + IPT-A group, 17 participants were counted in one instance.
- For the IPT-A Only group, 9 participants were counted in one instance.
- For the MCI + IPT-A group, 2 participants were counted in another instance.
- For the IPT-A Only group, 1 participant was counted in another instance.
- For the MCI + IPT-A group, 13 participants were counted in a third instance.
- For the IPT-A Only group, 10 participants were counted in a third instance.
- For the MCI + IPT-A group, 6 participants were counted in a fourth instance.
- For the IPT-A Only group, 0 participants were counted in a fourth instance.
What this means
The posted results indicate that participants in the MCI + IPT-A group showed numerically lower mean scores on both the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression compared to those in the IPT-A Only group. While these findings suggest a potential benefit of the Making Connections Intervention in reducing depression symptoms, no statistical analyses or p-values were provided to confirm the significance of these differences. The study's focus on improving engagement in Black adolescents with depression highlights the importance of interventions tailored to address specific barriers to care in this population.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT03940508, titled "Engaging Black Youth in Depression and Suicide Prevention Treatment Within Urban Schools", were posted on 2025-09-15 on clinicaltrials.gov.