Using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 as Feedback Instruments in Brief Psychotherapy

Using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD-7) as Feedback Instruments in Brief Psychotherapy

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT02656641

Enrollment

Registered

2016-01-15

Start date

2015-11-30

Completion date

2016-08-31

Last updated

2017-07-19

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Anxiety States, Neurotic, Depressive Symptoms

Brief summary

This study will assess the effects of client feedback, using the Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale, on depression and anxiety in individuals undergoing brief psychotherapy. Client feedback allows therapists to monitor treatment progress in real time. Identifying an easily accessible treatment intervention, which utilizes commonly used scales, that potentially enhances the effect of brief psychotherapy and improves treatment outcomes is a valuable endeavor with clear implications for therapy practices. It is hypothesized that clients who complete these scales each session will show greater symptom improvement than clients who do not complete the scales.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALContinuous Client Feedback

Clients complete rating scales before each therapy session. The therapist then views these results and discusses treatment progress with the client during the session.

BEHAVIORALContinuous Self Feedback

Clients complete rating scales before each therapy session. Progress is not reviewed with the therapist.

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 64 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* Diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or Adjustment Disorder

Exclusion criteria

* Require a higher level of care than brief psychotherapy, or have been diagnosed with an intellectual disability, personality disorder, substance use disorder, or major medical illness

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Change in depressive symptoms as assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire-9	Baseline and end of treatment up to 10 weeks	Assesses depressive symptoms
Change in anxiety symptoms as assessed by Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale	Baseline and end of treatment up to 10 weeks	Assesses anxiety symptoms

Secondary

Measure	Time frame	Description
World Health Organization - Quality of Life BREF Scale	Baseline and end of treatment up to 10 weeks	Assesses domains of physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment
Schwartz Outcome Scale	Baseline and end of treatment up to 10 weeks	Monitors treatment outcomes

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026