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Brain scans may predict which kids respond to family therapy for depression

NCT ID NCT06289010

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Boston University Charles River Campus Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 20, 2026 · Last updated Jul 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study compares brain activity and parenting styles in children aged 7-12 with and without depression. It then tests whether these factors can predict how well a child responds to a 12-session family-focused therapy designed to build positive interactions and coping skills. Participants undergo brain scans and complete questionnaires before and after treatment.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Family-Focused Treatment for Childhood-Depression (FFT-CD) - a 12-session behavioral therapy involving families to build skills against depression.
What this could lead to
If successful, this could help identify which children with depression are most likely to benefit from family-focused therapy, leading to more personalized treatment.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage open trial without a control group, so results may not be definitive or generalizable. The therapy may not work for all children.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 80 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Aug 2024

Expected to finish

Nov 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

7 to 12 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Children must: * Have a current DSM-5 diagnosis of MDD, Persistent DD, or DDNOS (based on K-SADS-PL) OR not meet criteria for any DSM-5 mental health diagnosis (based on K-SADS-PL) * Be ages 7-12 * Be living with a parent(s) or guardian willing to participate * Be able and willing to provide informed consent/assent Parent must: * Not be currently pregnant * Be able to read, understand consent forms, and provide consent on their child's behalf * Be the biological parent (or grandparent in parental role) of the participating child \& have lived with the child for more than 75% of the child's life. All participants must: * Not have a disturbance that would interfere with participation such as autism spectrum disorder, psychosis, current substance dependence, current use of psychotropic medication, OCD, or MRI contraindication such as metal inside the body or claustrophobia * Be proficient in English Exclusion Criteria: * Thought or other disturbance in the child that would interfere with the ability to participate in treatment or assessments (e.g., psychotic disorder, autism spectrum disorder, OCD, active substance abuse/dependence, intellectual disability, as assessed on KSADS-PL) * Severe conduct disorders in the child that threaten the home stability (e.g. juvenile justice or children's protective service involvement as assessed on KSADS-PL) due to the potential impact on retention * Youth or primary caregivers do not speak English * Either parent or child has contraindications for neuroimaging (e.g., claustrophobia, metal implants, braces, electronically, magnetically, or mechanically activated devices such as cochlear implants) * The child is on an antidepressant medication, as it may complicate neuroimaging interpretation.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Depression dysthymic disorder major depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Childhood depression

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Athinoula A. Martinos Imaging Center at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    RECRUITING

    Charlestown, Massachusetts, 02129, United States

  • Boston University

    RECRUITING

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

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