UCLA

Objective

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) youth experience known inequities in mental health outcomes, including depression and suicidality. The Promoting Wellbeing & Resilience (PWR) class is an interactive, developmentally tailored group that provides strength-based, practical skills to LGBTQ+ teenagers with depression. It is designed to be implemented by paraprofessionals to increase community-based access to care.

Method

Investigators developed and piloted an eight-session cognitive-behavioral class for LGBTQ+ youth (N = 21) ages 12 to 17 (M = 14.8 years, 81% Caucasian, 57% gender diverse, 100% non-heterosexual) with depression symptoms. The youth received training in mood regulation, communication skills, stress management, and goal setting in a small group format (5-8 youth per group). Outcomes were youth-reported depression (primary), anxiety, and trauma symptoms at pre-treatment and post-treatment. Paired sample (dependent) one-tailed t-tests were used to examine treatment effects. Focus groups were also conducted with participants to assess satisfaction and collect qualitative feedback regarding class content and format.

Result

The resilience class was associated with reductions in depression symptoms post-treatment (t(17) = 3.3, p = .002, d = 0.5) but not anxiety (t(17) = 1.8, p = .049, d = 0.3) or trauma symptoms (t(17) = 1.2, p = .118, d = 0.1). Completion rates for all group sessions were high (95%), and the majority (57%) of participants returned for an optional review session.

Conclusion

Preliminary results suggest a manualized 8-week skills-based cognitive-behavioral group intervention designed to be delivered by paraprofessionals may be effective at reducing depression symptoms in actively depressed LGBTQ+ youth.