Differential Efficacy of Supportive and Interpretative Psychodynamic Techniques for Dependent and Self-critical Depressive Patients

NCT01640483 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: EC/2012/455
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 120
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Post-hoc analysis of psychotherapy outcome data suggest that psychodynamic techniques for Major Depressive Disorder are differentially efficacious dependent on personality traits of the patient. More specifically, supportive techniques are hypothesized to be more efficacious for dependent patients, interpretative techniques to be more efficacious for self-critical patients, and mixed supportive/interpretative techniques to be more efficacious for mixed dependent/self-critical patients. Moreover, supportive techniques are hypothesized to impact on depressive symptoms through increased relational capacities while interpretative techniques impact through increased self-understanding. These hypotheses are tested in an experimental single case design with three dependent, three self-critical and three mixed dependent/self-critical depressive patients. These patients go through a time-limited (50 sessions) experimental treatment which exists of a sequence of four A phases (control conditions), one B phase (supportive techniques only), one C phase (interpretative techniques only), and one BC phase (mixed supportive/interpretative techniques).

Conditions

Major Depressive Disorder

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Reduction in depressive symptoms at 25 weeks (50 sessions, 2 sessions/week).

  •Measures each session: The BDI-II with adapted instructions is used to measure depressive symptoms. The process variables associated with change in depressive symptoms will be studied in an exploratory way by means of Psychotherapy Process Q Set (PQS) ratings of the transcripts of the sessions. •Measures during A phases: Besides the SCID-I (session 1 and 2 of each A phase) and SCID-II (session 3 of each A phase) interviews, the therapist will administer the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ).

  25 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• improvement in relational capacities

  25 weeks

• improvement in insight

  25 weeks

• improvement in quality of life, a broad range of physical and psychological symptoms.

  25 weeks

Study Arms (3)

supportive

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Other: psychodynamic techniques.

interpretative

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Other: psychodynamic techniques.

mixed supportive/interpretative

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Other: psychodynamic techniques.

Interventions

psychodynamic techniques. OTHER

the patients go through a time-limited (50 sessions, 45 minutes, 2 sessions/week) experimental treatment which exists of a sequence of four A phases (control conditions), one B phase (supportive techniques only), one C phase (interpretative techniques only), and one BC phase (mixed supportive/interpretative techniques).

interpretative; mixed supportive/interpretative; supportive

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Patient meets criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (as assessed by SCID-I and DSM-IV-TR)
• Patient is prepared to give informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Patient uses antidepressant medication during the treatment
• Patient scores 3 on the suicide item of the BDI-II
• Patient meets criteria for psychotic or personality disorder (as assessed by SCID-II)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Ghent: lead
• Funding by BOF (Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Ghent University

Ghent, 9000, Belgium

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depressive Disorder, Major

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Depressive Disorder; Mood Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Stijn Vanheule, Prof Phd

  University Ghent

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Gilbert Lemmens, Phd MD

  University Hospital, Ghent

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: QUADRUPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 5, 2012
• First Posted: July 13, 2012
• Study Start: December 1, 2012
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2015
• Study Completion: December 1, 2015
• Last Updated: December 1, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-11

Locations

BE (1)