Couples (Persons), Depression
Conditions
Keywords
CBCT® (Cognitively Based Compassion-Training), Psychobiological Evaluation, Real Time Social Interaction, Eye-Tracking, Heart Rate Variability, IL-6, IL-1b, Cortisol, Alpha-Amylase, Randomised Controlled Trial, Compassion, Empathy, Relationship Quality, Interpersonal Relations, Stress
Brief summary
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.
Detailed description
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?
Interventions
BEHAVIORALCBCT® (Cognitively Based Compassion-Training)
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.
Sponsors
Emory University
University of Arizona
University Hospital Heidelberg
Heidelberg University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
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
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Eye gaze patterns | 4 weeks after recruitment and 12 weeks after first test | Changes in eye gaze patterns (total fixation time & fixation count) as behavioural component measured during standardised positive social interaction- pre & post training. |
| Depressive symptoms | 4 weeks after recruitment and 12 weeks after first test | 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). |
| Circadian variation pattern of heart rate variability | 4 weeks after recruitment and 12 weeks after first test | Changes in circadian variation pattern of heart rate variability pre & post training. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Analysis of psychometrical self- and observer rating und their correlations | 4 weeks after recruitment and 12 weeks after first test | Self- and observer ratings are: Berliner Social Support Skalen (BSSS) Compassionate Love Scale (CLS) Empathy Quotient (EQ) EuroQol five dimensions questionnaire (EQ5D) Evaluation of Social Systems (EVOS) UCLA-LS (HES) Inventory Interpersonal Probleme (IIP) Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS) Partner Burden in Depression (PBD) Partnership Questionnaire (PFB) Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) Self Compassion Scale (SCS) Trier Inventar zum chronischen Stress (TICS) |
| Biopsychological concomitants of depressive disorders | 4 weeks after recruitment and 12 weeks after first test | Saliva cortisol & alpha amylase, HbA1c, immune reactivity (Interleukin 1 beta \[IL1b\], Interleukin 6 \[IL6\], C-reactive protein \[CRP\]) and in epigenetical parameters (OXTR, SLC6A4) pre & post training. |
Countries
Germany
Outcome results
None listed