Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 21, 2026
Author Spotlight: Advancements and Challenges in Surgical Treatments for Postamputation Pain
Published on: March 8, 2024
A booklet self-help intervention to reduce depressive symptoms among people living with HIV in Botswana: study
Boitumelo Vavani1, Vivian Kraaij2, Phillip Spinhoven2
1Department of Psychology, University of Botswana, P/Bag UB00705, Gaborone, Botswana. vavanib@UB.AC.BW.
Background:
The treatment of mental health issues among people living with HIV (PLH) in Botswana is yet to be addressed. A recent study revealed that depressive symptoms are highly prevalent in a sample of PLH in Botswana. Based on empirical findings of a study that investigated intervention targets for PLH in Botswana, a self-help program with coaching in booklet format in the Setswana and English languages was developed, composed of cognitive behavioral techniques, coping skills interventions, and goal adjustment training. We will investigate the program for effectiveness in the treatment of depressive symptoms among PLH. Additionally, we will investigate treatment moderators and mediators. This paper describes the study protocol.
Methods/Design:
A randomized controlled trial will be conducted to compare the booklet self-help program with coaching with an attention-only control condition, by including pre-test, post-test, and follow-up assessments. We aim to enroll 200 participants with mild to moderate depressive symptoms into the study. The self-help program contains the following main components: activation, relaxation, changing maladaptive cognitions, and the attainment of new personal goals. This content is covered over six lessons to be completed in a maximum of 8 weeks. It uses a combination of psycho-education, assignments, and exercises. The participants will work on the program 1-2 h every week for 6 weeks (maximum 8 weeks). Coaches will offer support and motivate the participants. For both groups, depressive symptoms and possible mediators will be measured three times during the intervention, and at pre-test, post-test, and follow-up.
Discussion:
If the intervention is found to effectively treat depressive symptoms, it will be implemented and thus help improve the psychological health of PLH in Botswana.
Trial Registration:
Netherlands Trial Register, NTR7428 . Registered on 23 August 2018.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:20Bioequivalence Experimental Study Designs: Completely Randomized and Randomized Block Designs
01:05Long-term Depression
03:12Freezing Point Depression and Boiling Point Elevation
The boiling point of a liquid is the temperature at which its vapor pressure is equal to ambient atmospheric pressure. Since the vapor pressure of a solution is lowered due to the presence of nonvolatile solutes, it stands to reason that the solution’s boiling point will subsequently be increased. Vapor pressure increases with temperature, and so a solution will require a higher temperature than will pure solvent to achieve any given vapor pressure, including one...
01:28Depressants
Alcohol is a common depressant that can induce a sense of relaxation and reduced inhibition at low doses. Contrary to its occasional...
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
01:03Nursing Interventions I: Taxonomy of Nursing Interventions
A nursing intervention is a treatment or action based on scientific concepts and knowledge from the nursing, behavioral, and physical sciences. Identifying and prioritizing nursing interventions based on the desired outcome...