Community-based Intensive Activation Therapy for Major Depression

This study is evaluating the feasibility of delivering therapy to people currently being treated for Major Depressive Disorder by their general practitioners. They will be randomised to receive either Intensive Activation Therapy or Patient-centred Psychoeducation – a supportive educational therapy. Intensive Activation Therapy is a combination of Behavioural Activation and Cognitive Remediation which has been designed for this study. Sessions will be delivered in person or via videoconference and will be delivered twice a week for four weeks and then weekly for another four weeks, with some flexibility in timing (allowing a total therapy time of 10 weeks). Sessions last between 30 and 40 minutes. The intervention is delivered by nurses and psychologists. Fidelity to treatment model will be monitored by the supervising psychologist with regular supervision sessions. Therapy tracking forms will contain date, session number, level of engagement, therapy focus and duration of session.