OCEAN stands for Open Clinical Experience for Adolescents in Neuroscience. OCEAN is a non-intervention study (meaning there is no treatment involved) that has two main objectives. OCEAN is a research project that is separate from TIDE.

 

Firstly, OCEAN lets researchers hear directly from youth about the methods used in neuroscience research. We want to know whether projects, including TIDE, are accessible and youth-friendly. The best way to find that out is by having young people experience some of the same data collection methods used in projects like TIDE, and then asking them about their experiences and thoughts.

 

Secondly, like the name suggests, OCEAN is an opportunity for young people to learn about neuroscience, depression, mental health research and how these topics are studied using different types of data: brain activity, physical activity, sleep, speech, and molecular genetic biomarkers, to name a few. Participants will experience these data collection environments, and then also be able to interact with their own data to gain firsthand knowledge of how these data are analyzed and applied in research. We also want to hear from OCEAN participants to get their views and opinions on topics such as research ethics and mental health advocacy.

 

Using similar protocols to TIDE, OCEAN has the goal of involving youth in the field of psychiatry and neuroscience research. The primary aim is to establish a youth-friendly assessment protocol that is co-created with youth. The inclusion of youth input on projects designed for youth will allow researchers to understand and address barriers that may hinder recruitment, enrollment, engagement and/or comfort for youth joining projects such as TIDE.