E-Mental Health Adolescent Depression Program (LEAP)

Depression in adolescents and young adults is a prevalent illness in Canada and presents a high burden for those affected and their families. In Canada, depressive disorders are on the rise and their onset is occurring earlier in life. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that spiritual wellness may play a role in depression management and recovery. Considering the limitations of available treatments for depression and the significant burden of the disease there is a need for new treatment options that are safe, effective, affordable and acceptable to young people. Our previous research gives strong support to the idea of using a spiritually based intervention for depression. To our knowledge, no research has been conducted on using spirituality as a self-study intervention in the management of depression in young adults. Over the last two years our team has created a spirituality-based intervention program for adolescent depression. The program could present an innovative and low cost treatment option for young patients with major depression.