Depression
Depression is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions globally and has profound effects on individuals, their families and society. Depression is strongly associated with social disadvantage and significantly impacts lower income communities, youth, and marginalized groups. Despite the strong evidence on the effectiveness of brief psychological treatments for depression, the vast majority of affected persons are unable to access these treatments.
The EMPOWER Intervention
EMPOWER has selected behavioral activation (BA) as the psychological treatment for depression. BA is a component of cognitive-behavioral treatment which has been shown to be as effective as the full CBT package. Moreover, as it is brief, it is easier for front-line workers and for patients to learn and master.
BA was adapted for delivering care in just six sessions by front-line workers in India and a major trial showed its short and long-term (up to five years after the treatment) effectiveness in patients with severe depression attending routine primary care. Subsequent trials in Nepal and Uganda have replicated these findings and BA is now recommended as the first-line treatment for depression.
Following the EMPOWER Methodology, we have developed a curriculum, to equip individuals on the frontlines, such as community health workers, health providers, and lay persons, with the knowledge and skills to deliver BA for depression. The curriculum comprises two components.
Foundational Skills Training (FS)
This short course introduces the learner to the general skills needed to deliver psychosocial interventions to adults. The course comprises 8 modules and requires approximately 20 hours to complete. The key course content are shown in the figure below.
Check out one of the FS videos on the right, unpacking Evidence-based Therapies (EBTs), their delivery, time requirements, and process—utilizing a goal-oriented approach in sessions.
The full FS training equips providers with essential skills to support someone facing mental health challenges.
Behavioral Activation Training
The course comprises 8 modules and requires approximately 20 hours to complete. The key course content are shown in the figure below.
Check out one of the BA videos on the right explaining the process of overcoming barriers and addressing a client's concerns, exploring ways to provide solutions or alternatives for challenges that a client might be facing pertaining to attending sessions.
Building on more than a decade of research and practice in various settings in India and other low-resource settings, EMPOWER is now working on implementing this depression intervention in the United States and scaling up the intervention in India.
Read more about our work on Depression in different geographical areas:
