Treatment for Sleep Disturbance in Depressed Youth
What is the study about?
Do you know a teenager who is irritable, moody, and who isn't sleeping well? Is your teenager having trouble getting out of bed in the morning? Are they tired and out of sorts all day? Are they often tearful or sad?
Major Depressive Disorder is common during adolescence, and many youth who struggle with depression also experience problems with their sleep. Although talk therapy and antidepressants are effective in treating depression among teenagers, many depressed adolescents continue to experience depressive symptoms even with treatment.
Our group is collaborating with Dr. Greg Clarke’s group at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Oregon to compare different ways of improving sleep and mood in teenagers. The treatments involve cognitive behavioral therapy that aims to help adolescents feel less depressed and will help with trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, waking too early in the morning and not being able to return to sleep, having restless sleep, not feeling rested when they wake after a full night of sleep, sleeping too much at night, feeling sleepy during the day, and having trouble staying awake during the day.
Who can participate?
People aged 12 to 20 years old who have problems with their sleep or with daytime sleepiness, and have symptoms of major depressive disorder (symptoms of depression include persistently sad or apathetic mood, irritability or moodiness, insomnia or sleeping too much, disturbed appetite, poor concentration, poor self-esteem or feelings of guilt, and decreased interest in pleasurable activities).
If you or your child is interested in participating, please contact us. If you are under 18, we will need to have your parent’s permission to have you participate. Once we hear from you, we will talk to you on the telephone to determine if this treatment might be helpful for you.
What will I do?
Before starting therapy, we will ask you to complete a brief assessment interview to learn more about you and your sleep. We will also ask you to monitor your sleep using a sleep diary. Once you begin treatment, you will work collaboratively with your therapist to improve your sleep and mood over about 12 weeks. The length of treatment and the specifics of your therapy will depend on the plan you develop with your therapist. Once treatment is completed, we will ask you to complete another brief interview. We may also ask you to wear a special wrist-watch called an actigraphy watch that measures activity when you are asleep and awake during some parts of the treatment. You will be compensated for completing some parts of the study.
Where does the study take place?
This study is taking place at two sites.
The first site is at:
Tolman Hall, Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley
We are located in the East Bay near El Cerrito, Emeryville, Albany, Richmond, Layfayette, Danville, Concord, Dublin, Walnut Creek and Oakland, and easily accessible from anywhere in the Bay Area.
The second site is at:
The Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research Portland, Oregon
How do I find out more?
Email us at teensleepucb@gmail.com or call (510) 643-3797