Randomized Clinical Trial of an Exposure-based Cognitive Therapy for Depression

University of Zurich142 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to investigate, if exposure-based cognitive therapy (EBCT) is at least as effective as the established cognitive-behavioral therapy and more effective in its long-term efficacy. Moreover the mechanisms of change of the EBCT are investigated.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

142

Conditions

Unipolar Depression

Interventions

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for DepressionBEHAVIORAL

22 weekly sessions and 2 booster session of face to face outpatient psychotherapy; focus on cognitive restructuring without emotion-focused interventions

Exposure-Based Cognitive Therapy for DepressionBEHAVIORAL

22 weekly sessions and 2 booster session of face to face outpatient psychotherapy; focus on emotion-focused interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Major Depressive Disorder according to DSM-IV as main diagnosis * minimum standardized depression scores (BDI \>= 17; HAMD \>=13) * minimum age of 18 years * informed consent to participate voluntarily in the study * sufficient German language skills Exclusion Criteria: * acute suicidality * depressive disorder with mood-incongruent psychotic features * chronic depressive disorder * organic cause of depression * drug-induced depression * bipolar disorder * diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizophreniform, schizoaffective disorders, and/or psychosis NOS * comorbid dysthymia, psychotic disorder (acute or anamnestic), dementia, substance dependence, schizotypal/ borderline/ or antisocial personality disorder * psychopharmacological treatment other than antidepressants * antidepressant medication, if it is changed within one month prior to the beginning of psychotherapy * other simultaneous psychological treatments

Locations (1)

University of Zurich, Department of Psychology

Zurich, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

severity of depressive symptoms measured by the Beck-Depression-Inventory (BDI-II)

Time frame: end of therapy, 6 month after end of therapy (follow up)

Secondary Outcomes

symptom impairment measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI)

Time frame: end of therapy, 6-month follow up

quality of life measured by the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF)

Time frame: end of therapy, 6-month follow-up

interpersonal problems measured by the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP)

Time frame: end of therapy, 6-month follow-up

avoidance measured by the Cognitive-Behavioral Avoidance Scales (CBAS)

Time frame: end of therapy, 6-month follow-up

resources measured by the Bernese Inventory of Resources (RES-K)

Time frame: end of therapy, 6-month follow-up

explicit self-esteem measured by the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (RSES)

Time frame: end of therapy, 6-month follow up

implicit self-esteem measured by the Self-Esteem Implicit Association Test (SE-IAT)

Time frame: end of therapy

goal attainment measured by Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS)

Time frame: end of therapy

avoidance motivation measured by the Inventory of Approach and Avoidance Motivation (IAAM)

Time frame: end of therpy, 6-month follow-up

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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