Want to feel better?
Learn new ways of dealing with low mood and strengthen your mental health while helping others do the same.
Project Blended4Blues from Penn State University evaluate a 10-week private online intervention that has been proven effective in studies. Complete it as self-care on your own, or in conjunction with weekly therapist meetings (50/50 chance).
Open to residents ages 18-21 nationwide
Treatment is offered at no cost
Take our screening to see if you qualify
Currently recruiting.
The Blended4Blues Study is conducted by the Laboratory for Anxiety and Depression research at Penn State, PA.
This study is made up of treatment and survey/phone questions about your mood and treatment experience. Study procedures will be offered to participants at no cost.
Who can join this study?
We welcome young adults who are feeling low and sad and believe they might be experiencing depression. You will likely be eligible for this study if you are:
Between the ages of 18-21
Living in the U.S. and fluent in English
Experiencing feelings like low mood, sadness or loss of energy
Own a smartphone with internet access
Agree to study activities: try the intervention and answer surveys about your mood and how you experience the intervention.
Unfortunately, this study is not able to include participants who have experienced significant thoughts of suicide or psychosis, or have a diagnosis of ADHD, Autism spectrum or bipolar disorder.
“Don’t be afraid to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity! At first, it may be scary coming into this research study because it is a different approach. […] I received so much support and insight that these strategies will be something I will build upon and take through my journeys”
What will you be asked to do?
With this study, we want to see how well online treatment to learn ways of dealing mental health works, when given to young adults like you. As a study participant, you help our evaluation by trying out the intervention and answering questions about it. We take confidentiality seriously. We will never share any information that would tell others who you are.
1. SIGN UP BY SCREEN AND PHONE CALL
First, you will complete an online survey and/or a phone interview to determine whether this treatment is suitable for you. We ask the same questions to everyone and you can mostly reply with “Yes” or “No”.
30 minute survey | 15-60 minute call
2. TRY THE INTERVENTION
Try out our treatment which talks about ways of coping with low mood. You will work through a total of 8 online units based on proven strategies to reduce depression. Each week you will receive a new unit and each unit will take about 1-2 hours.
10 weeks | 1 unit each week
3. TRY VIDEO SESSIONS
You will be randomly assigned to one of two treatments, one of which also includes therapist appointments via video and written feedback (50/50 chance).
During treatment
4. TELL US YOUR EXPERIENCE
You’ll complete short questionnaires during and at the end of the study to check-in on your mood and your experience. You’ll also be asked to participate in up to 3 phone interviews about your experiences of the treatment.
After 12 months | Scientific reports
The study team
This study is carried out at the Laboratory for Anxiety & Depression Research. This study is approved by the PSU Institutional Review Board (Ref: STUDY00018688).
We are researchers, specialized clinicians and clinicians in training. Study therapists are advanced graduate students working under the supervision of licensed therapists and psychologists. We treat your information with confidentiality. Visit our lab page
Contact:
Professor Michelle G. Newman (Principal Investigator)
Department of Psychology
371 Moore Building
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802-3103
Phone: 814-863-1148
Email: mgn1[at]psu.edu