Sound Bite: therapeutic song-writing for young people with depression
"Everyone is a Hope Builder" Project Study- Therapeutic Song-writing Program
This program will test whether seven sessions of therapeutic song-writing help young people ages 13–24 with mild to moderate depression reduce symptoms and increase hope, self-esteem, and social support.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 120 (estimated) |
| Ages | 13 Years to 24 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | City University of Hong Kong Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong) |
| Trial ID | NCT07371962 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This multicentre randomized controlled trial compares a seven-session therapeutic song-writing program (Sound Bite) with a waitlist control in young people who have mild to moderate depressive symptoms. The program is delivered by trained social workers and helping professionals familiar with music therapy, and intervention outcomes are measured before and after by research staff who are not involved in group allocation or delivery. Standardized assessments including the Chinese DASS-Y are used to measure depressive symptoms, self-stigma, self-esteem, sense of hope, and perceived social support at post-intervention. Participants are drawn from service users of The Salvation Army in Hong Kong and must provide informed consent, with parental consent required for those under 18.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are 13–24 years old, are service users of The Salvation Army in Hong Kong, and have mild to moderate depression (DASS-Y Depression score 5–12) and consent to participate.
Not a fit: Young people with severe depression or anxiety (DASS-Y Depression ≥13 or Anxiety ≥8) are excluded and would not receive benefit from this program, and those who do not engage with group-based or music-based approaches may not benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce depressive symptoms and self-stigma while increasing self-esteem, hope, and social support for participating young people.
How similar studies have performed: Therapeutic song-writing and other psychosocial music interventions have shown promising effects on depressive symptoms and social support in previous work, though this specific program's randomized evaluation is novel in this setting.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. aged between 13 to 24 years; 2. having mild to moderate depression and/or anxiety as assessed using a standardized assessment tool, i.e. Chinese Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-Youth (DASS-Y) with a DASS-Y Depression score between 5 and 12; 3. service users of The Salvation Army social service unit; and 4. giving informed consent to this research work. For those aged below 18, parental consent will be obtained. Exclusion Criteria: Those with severe depression (i.e. a DASS-Y Depression score ≥ 13) and/or severe anxiety (i.e. a DASS-Y Anxiety score ≥ 8) are excluded from this study.
Where this trial is running
Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong
- City University of Hong Kong — Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Kim-wan Daniel Young, PhD
- Email: dkwyoung@cityu.edu.hk
- Phone: +85234428954
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.