None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study seeks to investigate the efficacy and mechanisms of change of group behavioral activation therapy (BA) for depression in adults in comparison with standard group cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). It is hypothesized that severely depressed adults receiving group BA will show a significantly greater reduction in self-reported depression scores over 10 weeks of therapy than severely depressed adults receiving group CBT over the same period, and that improvement in depression scores in the BA group will be mediated by changes in participants use of behavioural coping skills, while improvement in the CBT group will be mediated by changes in participants use of cognitive coping skills.
Interventions
Arm 1: Intervention consists of 11 face to face group behavioural activation therapy sessions offered over 14 weeks (weekly for 10 weeks then a review session at 14 weeks), provided at a publicly funded mental health clinic.
- Sessions consist of psychoeducation, counseling, self-monitoring, functional analysis of behaviour, skills training around self management, goal setting, activity scheduling, and worry deferment , and allocation of homework exercises (e.g. completion of activity diary, c
Arm 1: Intervention consists of 11 face to face group behavioural activation therapy sessions offered over 14 weeks (weekly for 10 weeks then a review session at 14 weeks), provided at a publicly funded mental health clinic. - Sessions consist of psychoeducation, counseling, self-monitoring, functional analysis of behaviour, skills training around self management, goal setting, activity scheduling, and worry deferment , and allocation of homework exercises (e.g. completion of activity diary, completion of a worry pad). - Groups are facilitated by registered psychologists employed by the publicly funded health service. - The intervention is based on an existing treatment manual "Overcoming Depression One Step at a Time: The New Behavioral Activation Approach to Getting Your Life Back. Addis, M. E., & Martell, C. R. (2004). New York: New Harbinger Press". - Adherence to the intervention is monitored by group facilitators via a behavioural activation therapy self reflection adherence checklist and through supervision with a more senior psychologist. Participant attendance at groups is monitored using attendance logs. Participant homework completion each week is recorded on set homework proforma.
Sponsors
Princess Alexandra 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
Adult patients of the public mental health service with a current diagnosis of a depressive disorder.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria include acute psychosis or imminent suicide risk or a current diagnosis of intellectual disability or major neurocognitive disorder.
Outcome results
None listed