BAY Trial: Randomised Controlled Trial
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Behavioural Activation for Young people with depression in specialist child and adolescent mental health services
IRAS ID
319136
Contact name
Bernadka Dubicka
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN12315118
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 2 days
Research summary
Rates of emotional disorders in young people (YP) have been increasing and the covid-
19 pandemic is disproportionately affecting the mental health of YP. From 2017 to 2022, rates in young people aged 17 to 19 rose from 1 in 10 (10.1%) to 1 in 4 (25.7%)Even before the pandemic, only 25% of children and YP with mental health disorders accessed help; those that do often have long waits for specialist therapy after assessment.The government Green Paper offers help in schools for YP with mild to moderate problems. However, YP with more severe depression and high risk are still referred to specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) where there is a significant shortage of skilled staff and insufficient therapy skills.
Delivery modes have changed since Covid-19 with remote working and blended therapy. To meet these changes we developed a behavioural activation (BA) intervention with brief training to clinicians without specialist therapy skills to deliver blended BA.
The BAY study aims to examine the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of BA (‘Be-Active’) using blended delivery, when compared to Treatment as usual + psycho education (PE) in depressed adolescents referred to specialist CAMHS.
Recruitment will take place in NHS specialist CAMHS across 5 trusts in England.528 young people aged 11-17 with low mood on initial assessment will be randomised and outcome data collected at baseline, 12 weeks, 6 months & 12 months with an optional qualitative interview at the end of treatment.
If BA is effective and cost-effective, it would increase access to a treatment that
can be delivered at scale in specialist CAMHS; this study would also give us information on the acceptability of different modes of delivery. BA could potentially free up more experienced staff, reduce waiting times for more specialist interventions, and provide an additional therapeutic response to the future mental health impacts of this pandemic.REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EE/0073
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jun 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion