Can a 5-Session program lift mood? large study tests community mental health help
NCT ID NCT04913766
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested a brief, community-based psychological program called Problem Management Plus to see if it can reduce depression, anxiety, and distress. Over 1,200 adults with mild to moderate symptoms took part. The program focuses on practical problem-solving skills in just five sessions.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Problem Management Plus (a brief psychological program)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that a short, community-based program effectively reduces common mental health symptoms like depression and anxiety.
- What could go wrong
- This is a completed study, but results may not apply to everyone. The program is brief and may not help those with severe or complex conditions.
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
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1,206 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Oct 2022
- Finished
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Feb 2026
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: * Persons with Patient Health Questionnaire 4 scores equal to or above 3 * Functional impairment associated with psychological distress Exclusion Criteria: * Acute suicide risk * Patient Health Questionnaire 4 score below 3 * No functional impairment
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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New School
New York, New York, 10036, United States
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