Exploring the Feasibility and Acceptance of a Group- and Family-Based Online Intervention (GuG-Auf-Online) Versus Treatment-as-Usual for Preventing Mental Health Problems in the Offspring of Parents With Depression

Abstract: Background: Preventive interventions for children of parents with depression are a major public health priority. A family- and group-based cognitive behavioral (FGCB) intervention has shown positive effects on child outcomes in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the United States and Germany. Objective: This pilot study explores the feasibility and acceptance of a shortened (eight-session) form of FGCB delivered via videoconferencing and supported by a mobile app (“GuG-Auf-Online”). GuG-Auf-Online will be evaluated as a cognitive behavioral subform of multifamily therapy (MFT) evaluated in the multisite CHIMPS-NET trial. Method: A total of 60 families with (a) at least one parent with a current or past episode of major depression and (b) at least one child aged 8 – 17 years without a current mental disorder will be recruited. Families will be randomly allocated to receive the GuG-Auf-Online intervention ( n = 30) or no intervention ( n = 30). Results: We will first explore the acceptance and feasibility of GuG-Auf-Online by analyzing the uptake of the intervention, attendance, and app use. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) will be used to track short-term changes in affect in the intervention group. The final aim is to explore whether the intervention is associated with changes in potential mediators: children’s coping with stress, early maladaptive schemas (EMS), and/or parents’ parenting skills. Conclusion: Children of parents with depression have an elevated risk of developing depression themselves yet face multiple barriers to accessing evidence-based prevention. This pilot study will explore the potential of a digitally adapted evidence-based intervention to overcome these barriers. The study provides the necessary foundations for a future large-scale RCT. Trial registration: The trial was registered on April 30, 2021 with the German Clinical Trials Register ( https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00023136 ).