Social Interaction and Compassion in Depression

Heidelberg University140 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to determine how a CBCT® (Cognitively Based Compassion-Training) for couples affect aspects of health and especially social interactions in depressed female patients and their romantic partners. compare healthy and depressed couples during an instructed positive real-time social interaction in the laboratory. Furthermore the investigators aim to examine how social behavior and psychobiological indicators of health during real-time social interaction in the laboratory might be improved through CBCT® for couples.

Objects: Will a CBCT® (Cognitively Based Compassion-Training) for couples reduce the depressive symptomatic and the partners´ burden as well as improve behavioral, endocrine, physiological and immune responses during a real time social interaction in the laboratory. Do couples with a depressed female partner differ from healthy control couples in behavioral, endocrine, physiological and immune responses during a instructed positive real-time social interaction in a laboratory setting?

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

140

Conditions

Depression Couples (Persons)

Interventions

CBCT® (Cognitively Based Compassion-Training)BEHAVIORAL

The CBCT® (Cognitively Based Compassion-Training) as a secular approach was established as a structured protocol. The therapeutic tools are based on systemic approaches \& techniques, which contains a resource- \& solution orientation and the approach of Gottman's model of healthy relationships (e.g. trust and commitment - based on that - elements like "the positive perspective"). Four dyadic exercises are introduced to enhance positive reciprocity between the romantic partners (based on concepts of couple communication training): a) Building mindful ability to talk, b) building mindful ability to listen (without reacting initially), c) appreciation in action - indulging the partner, d) "noticing, how the partner is doing something good for me" - gratefulness in action verbally/non-verbally. Finally, the "empathy exercise" has been added inspired by CBASP therapy for chronic major depression.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 20 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

General inclusion criteria: * being in a heterosexual relationship for two years or more * agreement to participate in the study * recurrent depression (ICD-10 F33.0 or F33.1, depressed females of the patient couples only) * agreement of the patient couples to be randomized into the two treatment arms * no mental disorders (healthy control group only) General exclusion criteria: * severe acute and chronic psychological ( suicidal tendency, acute affective bipolar disorders) or physical disorder (chronic diseases, severe diseases such as endocrinological, neurological, nephrological or hepatic disorders) * being pregnant * heavy smoking (more than 20 cigarettes daily) or alcohol abuse * substance related abuse and addiction * enrolling current couple therapy * enrolling current individual therapy (except of probatory phase) * enrolling current mindfulness or compassion based group training

Locations (1)

Institut of Medical Psychology at the Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg

Heidelberg, Germany

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Depressive symptoms

Change in depression score (observer rating Hamilton Depression Rating Scale \[HDRS\], self-rating Becks Depression Inventory \[BDI\]) after CBCT® (Cognitively Based Compassion Training) for couples in comparison to control TAU-group (treatment as usual).