CYOA App Intervention for Social Media Use in Adolescents With Depression (CYOA)

November 9, 2026 updated by: University of Minnesota

Choose Your Own Adventure: A Novel Intervention to Regulate Social Media Use in Adolescents With Depression

This study will develop and test Choose Your Own Adventure, a personalized app-based intervention designed to help adolescents with depression regulate social media use.

Adolescents ages 13 to 17 years with major depressive disorder and daily TikTok use will be randomized to either the CYOA app intervention or no intervention. The CYOA app is designed to detect individualized patterns of problematic social media use and offer personalized options to disrupt "runaway train" social media use.

The study will assess feasibility, acceptability, preliminary effects on social media use and mood, and potential mechanisms including social media self-control failure. Participants will complete baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up assessments.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Choose Your Own Adventure is a pilot randomized controlled clinical trial testing a personalized app-based intervention to regulate social media use in adolescents with depression.

The study will enroll 60 adolescents ages 13 to 17 years with major depressive disorder. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to the CYOA app intervention or no intervention. The intervention is designed to promote adolescent agency rather than force discontinuation of social media use. Adolescents assigned to CYOA will identify situations that may be harmful to their well-being and select preferred options for what to do when those situations arise.

The app will sense and characterize social media content and engagement patterns. When it detects a predefined "runaway train" social media use pattern, it will offer personalized options based on the adolescent's plan. Options may include pausing after a specified time or number of videos, modifying sensory intensity, engaging in a mindfulness activity, or editing the feed to remove topics the adolescent identifies as problematic.

Participants in both groups will download the study app and use it for 2 weeks. Adolescents will complete ecological momentary assessment prompts twice daily during the 2-week period. Baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up assessments will evaluate depression symptoms, anxiety, well-being, social connectedness, sleep, physical activity, social media self-control failure, and social media use patterns.

The main goals are to assess feasibility, acceptability, preliminary impact, and potential mechanisms of the CYOA intervention compared with no intervention.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
60

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Kathryn R. Cullen, MD
  • Phone Number: 612-624-3403
  • Email: rega0026@umn.edu

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Minnesota
      • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455
        • University of Minnesota Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Kathryn R Cullen, MD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

13 years to 17 years (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 13 to 17 years
  • Presence of major depressive disorder, with a current episode of at least 2 months
  • Adolescent and parent or guardian speak English
  • Adolescent is a current user of social media on a personal cell phone
  • Adolescent uses English-language TikTok for at least 2 hours per day on average

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Primary psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, or neurodevelopmental disorder
  • Parent or guardian or child does not speak English
  • Adolescent does not own a personal cell phone
  • Adolescent does not use social media, specifically TikTok, at least 2 hours per day
  • Fetuses
  • Neonates
  • Prisoners
  • Adults lacking capacity to consent or adults with diminished capacity to consent
  • Non-English speakers
  • Individuals unable to read
  • Employees of the researcher
  • Students of the researcher
  • Active members of the military or DoD personnel
  • Individuals approached for research participation during a stressful situation, such as an emergency room setting or childbirth

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Choose Your Own Adventure App

Adolescents randomized to this arm will use the CYOA app for 2 weeks. The app is designed to detect individualized social media use patterns and offer personalized options to disrupt problematic "runaway train" social media use.
Behavioral: Choose Your Own Adventure App

The CYOA app is a personalized social media self-regulation intervention for adolescents with depression. Adolescents identify social media situations that may be harmful to their well-being and select preferred options for responding when those situations arise. When the app detects a "runaway train" social media use pattern based on predefined thresholds, it offers personalized options such as pausing use, modifying sensory intensity, engaging in mindfulness, or editing the feed to remove problematic content.

Other Names:
  • CYOA App
No Intervention: No Intervention

Adolescents randomized to this arm will use social media as much or as little as preferred during the 2-week study period. They will still use the study app for data collection and complete the same study assessments as the intervention group.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
CYOA App Use During Intervention Period
Time Frame: During the 2-week intervention period

Feasibility will be assessed by the number and proportion of days, out of 14 days, that adolescents assigned to the CYOA app use the intervention. The feasibility target is use of the app on at least 8 of 14 days.
During the 2-week intervention period
Acceptability of the CYOA App
Time Frame: Post-intervention visit, after the 2-week intervention period

Acceptability will be assessed using adapted Treatment Acceptability/Adherence Scale ratings with adolescents assigned to CYOA. Total score ranges from 9 to 63; higher scores indicate greater treatment acceptability/adherence. Create a separate outcome for qualitative interviews only if they are intended to be reported as an outcome, with a defined reporting measure.
Post-intervention visit, after the 2-week intervention period

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Social Media Use Patterns
Time Frame: During the 2-week intervention period

Social media use patterns will be assessed using data extracted by the study app, including engagement patterns and app-based social media use data, and by self-report using the Social Media Use Scale. Social media use will be assessed using the Social Media Use Scale (SMUS). Total scores range from 17 to 153; higher scores indicate worse outcomes." Move app-derived engagement patterns into separate outcome entries once their specific measures are defined.
During the 2-week intervention period
Daily Mood
Time Frame: Twice daily during the 2-week intervention period

Daily mood will be assessed using ecological momentary assessment prompts with items from the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule short form.
Twice daily during the 2-week intervention period
Sleep
Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention after 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up; daily during the 2-week intervention period

Sleep will be assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index at study visits and daily ecological momentary assessment of hours slept during the 2-week intervention period. Sleep quality will be assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Total scores range from 0 to 21; higher scores indicate worse sleep quality." Separate daily EMA hours slept.
Baseline, post-intervention after 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up; daily during the 2-week intervention period
Physical Activity
Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention after 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up; daily during the 2-week intervention period

Physical activity will be assessed using the Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity screening measure and daily ecological momentary assessment of minutes of physical activity. Physical activity will be assessed using the Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) screening measure. Scores range from 0 to 7; higher scores indicate better outcomes.
Baseline, post-intervention after 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up; daily during the 2-week intervention period
Number of In-Person Social Interactions
Time Frame: Daily during the 2-week intervention period.

The number of meaningful in-person social interactions will be assessed using daily ecological momentary assessment (EMA) questions during the intervention period.
Daily during the 2-week intervention period.
Duration of In-Person Social Interactions
Time Frame: Daily during the 2-week intervention period.

The duration of meaningful in-person social interactions will be assessed using daily ecological momentary assessment (EMA) questions during the intervention period.
Daily during the 2-week intervention period.
Anxiety Symptoms
Time Frame: Daily during the 2-week intervention period.

Anxiety symptoms will be assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale.Anxiety symptoms will be assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Total scores range from 0 to 21; higher scores indicate greater anxiety symptom severity.
Daily during the 2-week intervention period.
Well-Being as Measured by the Flourishing Scale
Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention at 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up

Well-being will be assessed using the Flourishing Scale (FS). Total scores range from 8 to 56, with higher scores indicating greater well-being.
Baseline, post-intervention at 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up
Well-Being as Measured by the Satisfaction with Life Scale
Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention at 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up

Well-being will be assessed using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Total scores range from 5 to 35, with higher scores indicating greater life satisfaction.
Baseline, post-intervention at 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up
Social Connectedness
Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention after 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up

Social connectedness will be assessed using the Social Connectedness Scale-Revised. Social connectedness will be assessed using the Social Connectedness Scale-Revised (SCS-R). Scores range from 0 to 6; higher scores indicate greater social connectedness
Baseline, post-intervention after 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up
Depression Symptoms - CDI-2 Child-Report
Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention at 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up

Depression symptoms will be assessed using the Children's Depression Inventory-2 (CDI-2), Child-Report. Scores range from 0 to 56; higher scores indicate greater depressive symptom severity.
Baseline, post-intervention at 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up
Depression Symptoms - CDI-2 Parent-Report
Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention at 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up

Depression symptoms will be assessed using the Children's Depression Inventory-2 (CDI-2), Parent-Report. Scores range from 0 to 51; higher scores indicate greater depressive symptom severity.
Baseline, post-intervention at 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up
Change in Social Media Self-Control Failure
Time Frame: Baseline, post-intervention after 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up

Social media self-control failure will be assessed using the Social Media Self Control Failure scale. The study will evaluate whether CYOA is associated with greater decreases in social media self-control failure compared with no intervention. Social media self-control failure will be assessed using the Social Media Self Control Failure (SMSCF) Scale. Scores range from 3 to 15; higher scores indicate worse self-control failure.
Baseline, post-intervention after 2 weeks, and 3-month follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Minnesota

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Kathryn R. Cullen, MD, University of Minnesota

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 1, 2027

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 10, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
October 10, 2030

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
October 21, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 9, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 9, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • PSYCH-2026-35108
  • R21MH145210 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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