(PS3-29) activ8: A Qualitative Examination of Caregiver and Adolescent Experiences in Telehealth Behavioral Activation

Abstract Text: Behavioral Activation (BA) is an evidence-based intervention designed to reduce depressive symptoms by increasing engagement in meaningful activities. Despite BA’s efficacy in adolescents, traditional in-person BA therapy conducted by licensed clinicians limits accessibility. Activ8 is a telehealth BA intervention developmentally tailored for adolescents and their caregiver(s), facilitated by trained, lay interventionists. This presentation examined the experiences of Activ8 participants to identify key themes related to engagement, perceived effectiveness, and barriers to participation. Eighteen adolescents and twenty caregivers provided feedback about their experiences in Activ8. The adolescents’ ages ranged from 12-17 years old, M = 14.56, SD = 1.72; 33% identified as male and 67% as female. Ethnically, 33% identified as Hispanic, 61% as Non-Hispanic, and 6% as Unknown. Racially, 6% identified as Black/African American, 83% as White, and 5.6% as Biracial or Other. Caregivers were predominantly parents (95% parents, 5% other family members), of whom 10% were male and 90% female. Ethnically, 40% identified as Hispanic, 50% as Non-Hispanic, and 10% as Unknown. Racially, 5% identified as Black/African American, 75% as White, and 20% as Other or Unknown. Qualitative data was collected via post-intervention surveys administered through REDCap at program discharge. Thematic analysis identified four key themes: (1) Increased Engagement in Positive Activities – Adolescents and caregivers reported that structured goal setting and skill building was helpful in improving the adolescent’s depression. (2) Caregiver-Adolescent Collaboration – Caregivers shared that the program improved their skills to support their adolescents as well as improved relationships with their adolescents. (3) Therapeutic Alliance – Adolescents and caregivers reported positive experiences working with their lay interventionists. (4) Barriers to Engagement – Adolescents shared that additional engaging and interactive activities should be built into sessions. This analysis contributes to the growing literature on BA’s effectiveness and acceptability with adolescents, highlighting Activ8’s potential to expand access to BA, particularly for diverse populations facing geographical and logistical barriers. By utilizing trained, lay interventionists rather than licensed therapists, Activ8 provides a scalable, cost-effective model for delivering BA in non-traditional settings.