Bright Light Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder in Adolescent Outpatients: A Preliminary Study
Background: Bright light therapy (BLT) has not been well-studied in adolescents with major depressive disorder, particularly in outpatient settings. Methods: We conducted an 8-week clinical trial of BLT in adolescents recruited from a primary care practice with moderate to severe major depression. A...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Clocks & Sleep |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5175/6/1/5 |
| _version_ | 1797241571643490304 |
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| author | Rachel Ballard John T. Parkhurst Lisa K. Gadek Kelsey M. Julian Amy Yang Lauren N. Pasetes Namni Goel Dorothy K. Sit |
| author_facet | Rachel Ballard John T. Parkhurst Lisa K. Gadek Kelsey M. Julian Amy Yang Lauren N. Pasetes Namni Goel Dorothy K. Sit |
| author_sort | Rachel Ballard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Bright light therapy (BLT) has not been well-studied in adolescents with major depressive disorder, particularly in outpatient settings. Methods: We conducted an 8-week clinical trial of BLT in adolescents recruited from a primary care practice with moderate to severe major depression. Acceptability and feasibility were defined by daily use of the light box and integration into daily routines. To assess treatment effects, we utilized the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) and actigraphic sleep variables. Results: Of the nine enrolled adolescents, the rate of daily use of the light therapy box was 100% at week 2, 78% at week 4 (n = 7), and 67% at weeks 6 and 8 (n = 6). Participants were better able to integrate midday BLT compared to morning BLT into their day-to-day routines. Mean depression scores improved during the 2-week placebo lead-in (dim red light—DRL) and continued to show significant improvement through 6 weeks of BLT. Sleep efficiency increased significantly (<i>p</i> = 0.046), and sleep onset latency showed a trend toward a significant decrease (<i>p</i> = 0.075) in the BLT phase compared to the DRL phase. Conclusion: Bright light treatment that was self-administered at home was feasible, acceptable, and effective for adolescent outpatients with depression. Findings support the development of larger, well-powered, controlled clinical trials of BLT in coordination with primary care. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:25:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-413e238f45ee4e1f9a27645bd262ffdb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2624-5175 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:25:27Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clocks & Sleep |
| spelling | doaj.art-413e238f45ee4e1f9a27645bd262ffdb2024-03-27T13:31:42ZengMDPI AGClocks & Sleep2624-51752024-01-0161567110.3390/clockssleep6010005Bright Light Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder in Adolescent Outpatients: A Preliminary StudyRachel Ballard0John T. Parkhurst1Lisa K. Gadek2Kelsey M. Julian3Amy Yang4Lauren N. Pasetes5Namni Goel6Dorothy K. Sit7Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, 225 E. Chicago Ave., Box 10, Chicago, IL 60611, USAAnn & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, 225 E. Chicago Ave., Box 10, Chicago, IL 60611, USALake Forest Pediatrics, Lake Bluff, IL 60044, USAAnn & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, 225 E. Chicago Ave., Box 10, Chicago, IL 60611, USAAsher Center for the Study and Treatment of Depressive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 N. St. Clair St., Suite 1000, Chicago, IL 60611, USABiological Rhythms Research Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, 1645 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 425, Chicago, IL 60612, USABiological Rhythms Research Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, 1645 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 425, Chicago, IL 60612, USAAsher Center for the Study and Treatment of Depressive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 676 N. St. Clair St., Suite 1000, Chicago, IL 60611, USABackground: Bright light therapy (BLT) has not been well-studied in adolescents with major depressive disorder, particularly in outpatient settings. Methods: We conducted an 8-week clinical trial of BLT in adolescents recruited from a primary care practice with moderate to severe major depression. Acceptability and feasibility were defined by daily use of the light box and integration into daily routines. To assess treatment effects, we utilized the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) and actigraphic sleep variables. Results: Of the nine enrolled adolescents, the rate of daily use of the light therapy box was 100% at week 2, 78% at week 4 (n = 7), and 67% at weeks 6 and 8 (n = 6). Participants were better able to integrate midday BLT compared to morning BLT into their day-to-day routines. Mean depression scores improved during the 2-week placebo lead-in (dim red light—DRL) and continued to show significant improvement through 6 weeks of BLT. Sleep efficiency increased significantly (<i>p</i> = 0.046), and sleep onset latency showed a trend toward a significant decrease (<i>p</i> = 0.075) in the BLT phase compared to the DRL phase. Conclusion: Bright light treatment that was self-administered at home was feasible, acceptable, and effective for adolescent outpatients with depression. Findings support the development of larger, well-powered, controlled clinical trials of BLT in coordination with primary care.https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5175/6/1/5adolescentdepressionbright light therapyplacebo comparatorsleepprimary care |
| spellingShingle | Rachel Ballard John T. Parkhurst Lisa K. Gadek Kelsey M. Julian Amy Yang Lauren N. Pasetes Namni Goel Dorothy K. Sit Bright Light Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder in Adolescent Outpatients: A Preliminary Study Clocks & Sleep adolescent depression bright light therapy placebo comparator sleep primary care |
| title | Bright Light Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder in Adolescent Outpatients: A Preliminary Study |
| title_full | Bright Light Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder in Adolescent Outpatients: A Preliminary Study |
| title_fullStr | Bright Light Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder in Adolescent Outpatients: A Preliminary Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bright Light Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder in Adolescent Outpatients: A Preliminary Study |
| title_short | Bright Light Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder in Adolescent Outpatients: A Preliminary Study |
| title_sort | bright light therapy for major depressive disorder in adolescent outpatients a preliminary study |
| topic | adolescent depression bright light therapy placebo comparator sleep primary care |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5175/6/1/5 |
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