None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Our previous research indicates that the Sadness Program, an Internet-based treatment program for people with depression, is effective at helping people to learn to manage their symptoms of depression. The study described here aims to find out whether therapist support is required for people to successfully complete the Sadness Program. We expect that people completing the Sadness Program without therapist support (but who receive weekly telephone reminders) will still benefit, but not as much as those receiving the usual levels of therapist support.
Interventions
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1) Treatment with clinician-assisted Internet based treatment for depression, or; 2) Treatment with self-guided Internet based treatment for depression + weekly reminder telephone calls from a technician, or; 3) Waitlist control. All participants will meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition (DSM-IV) criteria for depression. All group 1 and group 2 participants will complete 6 lessons of Internet based t
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1) Treatment with clinician-assisted Internet based treatment for depression, or; 2) Treatment with self-guided Internet based treatment for depression + weekly reminder telephone calls from a technician, or; 3) Waitlist control. All participants will meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition (DSM-IV) criteria for depression. All group 1 and group 2 participants will complete 6 lessons of Internet based treatment about the management of symptoms of depression. One lesson will be completed every 7 to 14 days. Each lesson will take about 15 minutes to complete. Group 1 participants will have access to summaries of each lesson, will contribute to an online forum moderated by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, and will receive weekly reminder emails. Group 2 participants will have access to summaries of each lesson, will receive weekly telephone reminders from a technician, and will receive weekly reminder emails. The duration of the program is 8 weeks, but participants will be contacted 2 and 4 months post program and asked to complete follow-up questionnaires. Study questionnaires will be administered at application, pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 2 and 4-months post-treatment. These will take about 20 minutes to complete. The treatment materials are based on cognitive behavioural techniques.
Sponsors
School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales at St Vincent's Hospital
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association-4th Edition (DSM-IV) criteria for depression - Internet access + printer access. - Australian citizen- Males and females
Exclusion criteria
Current substance abuse/dependence- Psychotic disorder- Current or planned psychological treatment during study duration- Change in medications during last 1 month or intended change during study duration
Outcome results
None listed