Family program to reduce depression and partner violence for young women in Nepal
A randomized controlled trial of a Multi-component family Intervention to Lower depression and Address intimate Partner violence (MILAP) among young women in Nepal
This project offers a family-based program that brings young women, their husbands, and mothers-in-law together in Nepal to try to lower depression and reduce intimate partner violence.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11306101 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, households will be randomly assigned to receive the MILAP program or usual care, and the program includes family sessions teaching coping, communication, and cognitive-behavioral skills alongside safety planning. The intervention actively involves husbands and mothers-in-law as well as the young woman to address extended household dynamics that affect mental health. Researchers will track depressive symptoms, experiences of partner violence, and changes in family relationships over time. MILAP was developed from pilot work and will be delivered in selected Nepali communities by the study team.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are young women in Nepal who live with a husband and mother-in-law and who are experiencing or at risk for intimate partner violence, with household members willing to participate.
Not a fit: Women who do not live with a husband or mother-in-law, whose family members refuse to join, or those in need of immediate protective services may not benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could lower depression, reduce partner violence, and strengthen family support and safety for young women.
How similar studies have performed: CBT-style approaches have helped depression after women leave abusive relationships, but actively including husbands and mothers-in-law is relatively new and MILAP builds on promising pilot results.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Acharya, Bibhav — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Acharya, Bibhav
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.