This randomized clinical trial studies how well a computerized cognitive behavior therapy program works in treating depression in patients with cancer. The cognitive behavior therapy program uses a series of internet-delivered sessions intended to help patients identify and change problematic patterns of thinking and behavior that maintain depression.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Establish the efficacy of computerized cognitive behavior therapy ("Beating the Blues") in reducing symptoms of depression and remission of major depressive disorder (MDD) in cancer patients. II. Test the feasibility of implementation and patient acceptability of online computerized cognitive behavior therapy for cancer patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). III. Test moderators (cancer specific stress, MDD history, anxiety disorder comorbidity, and homework compliance) of treatment outcome. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 groups. GROUP I (IMMEDIATE TREATMENT): Patients undergo computerized cognitive behavior therapy consisting of 45-60 minute sessions once per week for 8 weeks. Patients also complete the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD7) at weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 and 8 and complete other questionnaires for 15-30 minutes each that assess psychosocial and physical symptoms. GROUP II (WAIT-LIST): Patients are placed on an 8-week wait-list and then undergo computerized behavior therapy and receive questionnaires as in Group I. After completion of study intervention, patients are followed up at 2, 4, and 6 months.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
31
Undergo computerized cognitive behavior therapy
Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Change in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD)
The 17-item HRSD, modified to assess atypical symptoms, is a standard interview-administered measure of depressive symptom severity. The HRSD will be administered by study personnel supervised by the Principal Investigator.
Time frame: Week 0 to Week 8
Change in the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II)
The PHQ9 is a 9-item self-report measure based on the diagnostic criteria for major depression from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Fourth Edition (DSM-IV).
Time frame: Week 0 to week 8
Change in Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)
21 item self report measures of depressive symptoms
Time frame: Week 0 to week 8
Change in Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD7)
The GAD7 is a 7-item self-report measure based on the diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder from the DSM-IV.
Time frame: Week 0 to week 8
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