Cognitive-reminiscence therapy and usual care for depression in young adults: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background
Depression is a common affliction for young adults, and is associated with a range of adverse outcomes. Cognitive-reminiscence therapy is a brief, structured intervention that has been shown to be highly effective for reducing depressive symptoms, yet to date has not been evaluated in young adult populations. Given its basis in theory-guided reminiscence-based therapy, and incorporation of effective therapeutic techniques drawn from cognitive therapy and problem-solving frameworks, it is hypothesized to be effective in treating depression in this age group.

Methods and design
This article presents the design of a randomized controlled trial implemented in a community-based youth mental health service to compare cognitive-reminiscence therapy with usual care for the treatment of depressive symptoms in young adults. Participants in the cognitive-reminiscence group will receive six sessions of weekly, individual psychotherapy, whilst participants in the usual-care group will receive support from the youth mental health service according to usual procedures. A between-within repeated-measures design will be used to evaluate changes in self-reported outcome measures of depressive symptoms, psychological wellbeing and anxiety across baseline, three weeks into the intervention, post-intervention, one month post-intervention and three months post-intervention. Interviews will also be conducted with participants from the cognitive-reminiscence group to collect information about their experience receiving the intervention, and the process underlying any changes that occur.

Discussion
This study will determine whether a therapeutic approach to depression that has been shown to be effective in older adult populations is also effective for young adults. The expected outcome of this study is the validation of a brief, evidence-based, manualized treatment for young adults with depressive symptoms.

A randomized controlled trial of vocational intervention for young people with first-episode psychosis : method

Young people who are experiencing first-episode psychosis (FEP) are at increased risk of being unemployed compared to either their same age peers in the general population, or those with other mental illnesses. Significant research has been conducted examining employment interventions for those with chronic psychotic illness. This has yielded strong results in favour of an intervention called individual placement and support (IPS). However, significantly less work has examined the benefit of this approach to those in FEP when the potential for vocational rehabilitation is perhaps greater. This study adds to the knowledge of vocational intervention in first-episode psychotic illness. Additionally, it expands this work into the areas of cognition, social cognition, social inclusion and economics.

Predictors of vocational recovery among young people with first-episode psychosis: findings from a randomized controlled trial.

The current study sought to examine demographic and clinical predictors of vocational recovery among young people with first-episode psychosis who participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating the effectiveness of the supported employment model among this population.

A comprehensive worksite cancer prevention intervention : behavior change results from a randomized controlled trial

Workplace cancer prevention initiatives have been least successful with blue-collar workers. This study assesses whether an intervention integrating health promotion with occupational health and safety results in significant and meaningful increases in smoking cessation and consumption of fruits and vegetables, compared to a standard health promotion intervention, for workers overall and for blue-collar workers in particular. Methods: A randomized controlled design was used, with 15 manufacturing worksites assigned to a health promotion (HP) or a health promotion plus occupational health and safety intervention (HP/OHS), and compared from baseline (1997) to final (1999). The response rates to the survey were 80% at baseline (n = 9019) and 65% at final (n = 7327). Both groups targeted smoking and diet; the HP/OHS condition additionally incorporated reduction of occupational exposures. Results: Smoking quit rates among blue-collar workers in the HP/OHS condition more than doubled relative to those in the HP condition (OR=2.13, p=0.04), and were comparable to quit rates of white-collar workers. No statistically significant differences between groups were found for mean changes in fruits and vegetables. Integration of occupational health and safety and health promotion may be an essential means of enhancing the effectiveness of worksite tobacco control initiatives with blue-collar workers.

Mothers After Gestational Diabetes in Australia Diabetes Prevention Program (MAGDA-DPP) post-natal intervention: an update to the study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background
The Mothers After Gestational Diabetes in Australia Diabetes Prevention Program (MAGDA-DPP) is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that aims to assess the effectiveness of a structured diabetes prevention intervention for women who had gestational diabetes.

Methods/Design
The original protocol was published in Trial s (http://www.trialsjournal.com/content/14/1/339). This update reports on an additional exclusion criterion and change in first eligibility screening to provide greater clarity. The new exclusion criterion “surgical or medical intervention to treat obesity” has been added to the original protocol. The risks of developing diabetes will be affected by any medical or surgical intervention as its impact on obesity will alter the outcomes being assessed by MAGDA-DPP. The screening procedures have also been updated to reflect the current recruitment operation. The first eligibility screening is now taking place either during or after pregnancy, depending on recruitment strategy.