# Adapted Tele-Behavioral Activation Targeted to Increase Physical Activity in Depression

> **NIH NIH R34** · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · 2021 · $245,813

## Abstract

Project Summary
There is a fundamental gap in delivery of evidence-based interventions to improve the promotion of physical
activity in individuals with depression. Despite its proven efficacy in randomized control trials, exercise (i.e.,
increasing physical activity) is rarely used as a treatment for depressive disorders in real-world clinical settings.
Our proposed intervention addresses shortcomings in previous research by developing a briefer intervention
and delivering the intervention via teletherapy, both of which aim to reduce barriers to intervention adherence.
The long-term goal is to improve treatment outcomes and physical health of persons with depression through
increasing physical activity. The overall objective of this project is to conduct a pilot study of an adapted
Behavioral Activation intervention that aims to improve depression treatment outcomes by specifically
targeting physical activity. The central hypothesis is that such an intervention can be developed for depressed
individuals and is feasible to deliver through teletherapy. In order to fill the gap in knowledge and unmet need,
we will pursue the following two specific aims: 1) Refine and evaluate an existing, manualized behavioral
activation intervention that specifically targets physical activity-based activities by gathering focus group and
semi-structured interviews and exit surveys from participants, partial-completers and non-initiators and 2)
Determine the feasibility and acceptability of intervention delivery and conduct a preliminary analysis of
intervention efficacy by measuring recruitment and retention, intervention adherence, and evaluating changes
in depressive symptoms and physical activity as distal and proximal intervention outcomes, respectively. We
also evaluate the intervention’s mechanism of action using RDoC-based criteria and include an exploratory
aim, analyzing minimum number of completed therapy sessions needed to achieve depression remission.
Successful completion of the proposed study aims move the field forward by providing empirical evidence for
shortening established Behavioral Activation interventions and demonstrating feasibility of recruitment from
and intervention delivery to patients referred from real-world clinical practice, thus expanding the
intervention’s reach and impact and informing scalability. This project also informs subsequent R01 grants to
(a) conduct a randomized control trial with the refined intervention against a control group and (b) a
subsequent project testing implementation science principles – i.e. multiple kinds of interventionists
(unlicensed versus licensed master’s level), settings (interventionist at home versus embedded in primary care)
and delivery platforms (video versus telephone) – so as to create a scalable and sustainable intervention
embedded in existing reimbursable service delivery mechanisms. The current project has the potential to
increase care access for patients, especially those with low SES...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10194067
- **Project number:** 1R34MH122640-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** MADHUKAR H. TRIVEDI
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $245,813
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-06-23 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10194067

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10194067, Adapted Tele-Behavioral Activation Targeted to Increase Physical Activity in Depression (1R34MH122640-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10194067. Licensed CC0.

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