Memory Flexibility Training for Depression

NCT02371291 | Completed Phase 1

• 1 other identifier: Mrccbu
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

Our collection of memories for personal experiences plays an important role in shaping our sense of who we are as people. These memories, termed autobiographical memories, can also be helpful in social situations, for sharing the details of our experiences with other people, reminiscing about pleasant times and solving problems by remembering what has and hasn't worked in the past. Different types of autobiographical memory are helpful to us depending on the particular situation the investigators are in at the time. Recent research has shown that experiencing depressed mood can affect how we relate to our autobiographical memories, so that instead of providing a rich source of personal information in a helpful and flexible way, the types of memories that come to mind are more narrowly focused on difficult or negative experiences. This can cause low mood to persist over time. The purpose of this study is to test a newly-developed therapeutic training package for depressed mood (MemFlex), designed to encourage helpful and flexible ways of relating to autobiographical memories. The MemFlex programme consists of a one-to-one orientation session with the researcher to introduce the training package, followed by a workbook that is completed at home.

Conditions

Major Depressive Disorder

Keywords

Memory Flexibility

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Depressive Status

  Three months after completion of the workbook

• Change in score on the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck, Steer, & Brown, 1996) from baseline

  Self report measure of depression symptoms

  Three months after completion of the workbook

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Depression free days

  Three months after completion of the workbook

• Change in memory flexibility from baseline, Score on the alternating instructions autobiographical memory task (Dritschel et al., 2013)

  Three months after completion of the workbook

Other Outcomes (6)

• Change in Rumination as measured by Rumination Response Scale

  4-6 weeks after beginning the workbook

• Change in Cognitive Avoidance, as measured by Cognitive Avoidance Questionnaire

  4-6 weeks after beginning the workbook

• Change in Verbal Fluency as measured by the Verbal Fluency Task

  4-6 weeks after beginning the workbook

Study Arms (2)

Memory Flexibility Training

EXPERIMENTAL

The MemFlex programme draws on cognitive bias modification and memory specificity training techniques (Raes et al., 2009; Dalgleish et al., 2014), and was developed by clinical psychologists. MemFlex is primarily self-guided and aims to reduce autobiographical memory biases associated with depression. The training material is presented over one face-to-face session and eight self-guided sessions. In the initial session, the researcher introduces cued-recall tasks which are used throughout the workbook, and guides the participant in completion of these tasks. When understanding of the basic principles is satisfactory, the researcher assists the participant to set a schedule for completion of the workbook over the following four weeks. The participant will receive weekly emails during this period, encouraging them to complete the workbook. They will also receive a phone call from a team member at the beginning of week three to check progress.

Behavioral: Memory Flexibility Training

Psychoeducation

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

The psychoeducation condition will also complete an initial face-to-face session. This session will cover the symptoms and causes of depression, and the workbook will be introduced. As in the MemFlex condition, the workbook will consist of eight self-guided sessions that the individual will be required to complete over four weeks. The participant will receive weekly emails during this period, encouraging them to complete the workbook. They will also receive a phone call from a team member at the beginning of week three to check progress, and clarify any difficulties with the workbook material. The workbook content will cover the presentation of depression and basic information on factors associated with depression, such as worry, procrastination, and sleep difficulties. Each session consists of information on psychological theories of the topic, followed by a series of questions about the material to ensure participant engagement. The workbook was developed by clinical psychologists.

Behavioral: Psychoeducation

Interventions

Memory Flexibility Training BEHAVIORAL

As in experimental arm description.

Memory Flexibility Training

Psychoeducation BEHAVIORAL

As in experimental arm description.

Psychoeducation

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Currently experiencing Major Depressive Episode, indexed on the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV (SCID; First et al., 1996).
• Score of 13 or above on the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al., 1996)

You may not qualify if:

• SCID assessment indicates they are experiencing another mood disorder, psychosis, current alcohol or substance dependence/abuse.
• Diagnosed Axis II disorder or brain injury (assessed by participant report)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit: lead

Study Sites (2)

MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit

Cambridge, CB2 7EF, United Kingdom

Location

Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust

Cambridge, United Kingdom

Location

Related Publications (6)

• Raes F, Williams JM, Hermans D. Reducing cognitive vulnerability to depression: a preliminary investigation of MEmory Specificity Training (MEST) in inpatients with depressive symptomatology. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2009 Mar;40(1):24-38. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2008.03.001. Epub 2008 Mar 12.

  PMID: 18407245 BACKGROUND

• Dalgleish T, Bevan A, McKinnon A, Breakwell L, Mueller V, Chadwick I, Schweizer S, Hitchcock C, Watson P, Raes F, Jobson L, Werner-Seidler A. A comparison of MEmory Specificity Training (MEST) to education and support (ES) in the treatment of recurrent depression: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial. Trials. 2014 Jul 22;15:293. doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-15-293.

  PMID: 25052061 BACKGROUND

• Beck, A., Steer, R., & Brown, G. (1996). Manual for the Beck Depression Inventory-II. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.

  BACKGROUND

• First, M., Spitzer, R., Gibbons, M., & Williams, J. (1996). Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-IV). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.

  BACKGROUND

• Hitchcock C, Gormley S, Rees C, Rodrigues E, Gillard J, Panesar I, Wright IM, Hammond E, Watson P, Werner-Seidler A, Dalgleish T. A randomised controlled trial of memory flexibility training (MemFlex) to enhance memory flexibility and reduce depressive symptomatology in individuals with major depressive disorder. Behav Res Ther. 2018 Nov;110:22-30. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2018.08.008. Epub 2018 Aug 29.

  PMID: 30199738 DERIVED

• Hitchcock C, Hammond E, Rees C, Panesar I, Watson P, Werner-Seidler A, Dalgleish T. Memory Flexibility training (MemFlex) to reduce depressive symptomatology in individuals with major depressive disorder: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials. 2015 Nov 3;16:494. doi: 10.1186/s13063-015-1029-y.

  PMID: 26531124 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depressive Disorder, Major

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Depressive Disorder; Mood Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Tim Dalgleish, PhD

  MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 1
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER GOV
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 9, 2015
• First Posted: February 25, 2015
• Study Start: January 1, 2015
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2016
• Study Completion: January 1, 2017
• Last Updated: September 11, 2017

Record last verified: 2017-09

Locations

GB (2)