Video Intervention to Reduce Depression-related Stigma Among Adolescents

Effect of a Video-Based Intervention on Depression-Related Stigma Among Adolescents

Depression-related stigma is a major barrier to help-seeking among adolescents with depression. In China, few interventions specifically target stigma reduction in this population. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a video-based psychoeducational intervention in reducing depression-related stigma and improving help-seeking attitudes among adolescents.

Adolescents aged 8-18 years are recruited from outpatient clinics and schools and screened using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Participants are categorized as depressed or non-depressed and randomly assigned into intervention or control groups: depressed adolescents receive a video on personal stigma, non-depressed adolescents receive a video on social stigma, while control groups watch a neutral myopia education video. The study hypothesizes that video-based education can effectively reduce stigma and promote positive help-seeking behaviors among adolescents.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Depression - Major Depressive Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Video-Based Psychoeducation on Personal Stigma; Behavioral: Neutral Health Education Video; Behavioral: Video-Based Psychoeducation on Social Stigma (Non-Depressed Adolescents)

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 500
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Jianjun Ou, doctor; Phone Number: 17775861486; Email: oujianjun@csu.edu.cn

Study Locations

• China
  • Hunan
    • Changsha, Hunan, China
      • Department of Psychiatry, Xiangya Second Hospital, Central South University
      • Contact: Jianjun Ou, doctor; Phone Number: 17775861486; Email: oujianjun@csu.edu.cn

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adolescents aged 8-18 years.
• Able to understand and complete questionnaires in Chinese.
• Normal or corrected-to-normal vision and hearing.
• Have at least a primary school education level.
• Provide written informed consent from both the participant and their parent or guardian.
• For the depressed group: score > 9 on the Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A).
• For the non-depressed group: score ≤ 9 on the PHQ-A.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Presence of severe physical illness or neurological disease (e.g., traumatic brain injury).
• Cognitive impairment, intellectual disability, or significant visual/hearing impairment that prevents participation.
• Current psychotic symptoms or severe psychiatric comorbidities.
• Active suicidal or self-harming behaviors during the study period.
• Failure to comply with study procedures or withdrawal of consent.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Depressed adolescents - video intervention on personal stigma	Behavioral: Video-Based Psychoeducation on Personal Stigma; Participants in this arm are depressed adolescents (PHQ-A >9) who receive a video-based psychoeducational intervention designed to reduce personal stigma toward depression. The intervention consists of short online videos (approximately 3-5 minutes each) developed by the research team and delivered through a WeChat mini-program. The videos include animated and narrative content explaining the nature of depression, correcting common misconceptions, and promoting empathy, self-acceptance, and help-seeking attitudes. The aim is to reduce internalized stigma, improve depression literacy, and encourage professional help-seeking among adolescents with depression.
Placebo Comparator: Depressed adolescents - control video	Behavioral: Neutral Health Education Video; Participants in this arm watch a neutral health education video that serves as a control condition. The video, approximately 3-5 minutes in length, focuses on myopia prevention and eye health and contains no content related to mental health or depression. It is matched in duration and presentation style to the experimental videos to control for exposure time and viewing experience. The control video is delivered through the same WeChat mini-program platform and viewed once under the supervision of teachers, clinicians, or guardians. This condition allows for comparison of the specific effects of the depression-related stigma reduction videos with a neutral educational video of a similar format.
Experimental: Non-depressed adolescents - video intervention on social stigma	Behavioral: Video-Based Psychoeducation on Social Stigma (Non-Depressed Adolescents); Participants in this arm are non-depressed (PHQ-A ≤ 9) adolescents who receive a video-based psychoeducational intervention aimed at reducing social stigma toward individuals with depression. The intervention consists of short online videos (approximately 3-5 minutes each) created by the research team and delivered via a WeChat mini-program. The videos use engaging animation and real-life narratives to explain the symptoms and causes of depression, challenge negative stereotypes, and promote understanding and acceptance of people experiencing depression. The goal is to decrease prejudicial attitudes and social distance toward people with depression and to enhance mental health literacy among adolescents.
Placebo Comparator: Non-depressed adolescents - control video	Behavioral: Neutral Health Education Video; Participants in this arm watch a neutral health education video that serves as a control condition. The video, approximately 3-5 minutes in length, focuses on myopia prevention and eye health and contains no content related to mental health or depression. It is matched in duration and presentation style to the experimental videos to control for exposure time and viewing experience. The control video is delivered through the same WeChat mini-program platform and viewed once under the supervision of teachers, clinicians, or guardians. This condition allows for comparison of the specific effects of the depression-related stigma reduction videos with a neutral educational video of a similar format.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Depression Stigma Scale	The Depression Stigma Scale is used as the primary outcome measure for participants with a baseline PHQ-A score > 9. The Depression Stigma Scale is an 18-item self-report measure rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Total scores range from 0 to 72, with higher scores indicating greater stigma toward depression	At baseline, immediately post-intervention, and week 8
Depression social stigma scale	The Depression Social Stigma Scale is used as the primary outcome measure for participants with a baseline PHQ-A score ≤ 9. The Depression Social Stigma Scale is an 18-item self-report questionnaire rated on a 4-point Likert scale. Total scores range from 18 to 72, with higher scores indicating greater social stigma toward depression	At baseline, imediately post-intervention, and week 8

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale-Short Form	The ATSPPH-SF is a 10-item self-report questionnaire scored on a Likert 4-point scale. Total scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating more positive attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help.	At baseline, imediately post-intervention, and week 8
General Help-Seeking Questionnaire	The General Help-Seeking Questionnaire assesses intentions to seek help from different sources. Responses are rated on a 7-point Likert scale. Total scores range from 18-126, with higher scores indicating greater intention to seek help.	At baseline, imediately post-intervention, and week 8
Depression Literacy Questionnaire	The Depression Literacy Questionnaire is a 22-item self-report measure assessing knowledge about depression. Total scores range from 0 to 22, with higher scores indicating greater depression literacy.	At baseline, imediately post-intervention, and week 8

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Program Evaluation Questionnaire	The Program Evaluation Questionnaire is a self-developed questionnaire designed to assess participants' subjective experiences with the video-based depression intervention program. The questionnaire consists of 5 items covering overall evaluation of the intervention, satisfaction, perceived effectiveness, content preference, and willingness to participate in further feedback interviews. Items 2 and 3 are rated on 5-point Likert scales assessing satisfaction and agreement, whereas the remaining items are open-ended for qualitative feedback. Higher scores indicate a more positive evaluation of the intervention.	Imediately post-intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Jian-Jun Ou

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): December 20, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 20, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 20, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 17, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 1, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): December 15, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 15, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 1, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: LYG20220038

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No