The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of 2 different therapy courses for undergraduate college students who binge drink and experience depressive symptoms.
After a screening visit (2 ½ hrs) to confirm eligibility for the study, all participants will receive 8 weekly, 1-hour, individual sessions therapy with a counselor. Participants will be randomly assigned, by chance, like the flip of a coin, to the therapy course they will attend. In one of the therapy courses, students are asked questions about their drinking and receive personalized feedback about it, and are taught coping skills for their depressive symptoms. In the second course, students are also taught coping skills for their depressive symptoms but they may or may not talk about alcohol consumption depending on the students' preference. So, both courses teach the same coping skills for depressive symptoms but include different levels of focus on alcohol. Participants will also complete 2 follow-up visits, at the end of the 8 sessions and then again 4 weeks after completing treatment. These will involve filling out some questionnaires and completing a few neuropsychological tests (these questionnaires and neuropsychological tests will also be completed during the screening visit).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
96
8 sessions with study clinician, which focus on depressive symptom treatment and alcohol use Both courses teach coping skills for depression (CBT). However, one course focuses only on treatment for depression whereas the other provides also information tailored to the students' level of drinking and experience with regard to alcohol use. In one course students are asked questions about their drinking, receive personalized feedback about it and are taught coping skills for their depressive symptoms
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of therapy in which students will be taught coping skills for their depressive symptoms but they may or may not talk about alcohol consumption depending on the students' preference.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Daily Drinking Questionnaire
A measure assessing how much one drinks in a typical week
Time frame: 8 weeks
Beck Depression Inventory
A measure assessing symptoms of depression
Time frame: 8 weeks
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