Trial of Surf and Hike Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder

NCT03302611 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: NMCSD.2017.0007
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 110
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study uses a randomized controlled trial design to compare the psychological effects of surf therapy to hike therapy in active duty service members who have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder.

Conditions

Major Depressive Disorder

Keywords

major depressive disorder; military; surf therapy; hike therapy; randomized controlled trial

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)

  The MADRS is a widely used, semi-structured, clinical-interview assessment of depression symptom severity that is intended to be sensitive to change following an intervention.

  5 months

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• PTSD Checklist (PCL-5)

  5 months

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7)

  5 months

• Short Form Health Survey - 36 Item, Version 2 (SF-36)

  5 months

• Positive and Negative Affect scales (PANAS)

  5 months

• Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)

  5 months

Other Outcomes (1)

• Pain Rating Scale (PRS)

  5 months

Study Arms (2)

Surf Therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants receive a physical activity-based intervention, which in this arm is surf therapy. Each service member is paired with a surf instructor who typically works with them each week for the length of the program.

Behavioral: Physical Activity-based Interventions

Hike Therapy

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants receive a physical activity-based intervention, which in this arm is hike therapy. During hike therapy, service members may hike together or at a self-selected pace.

Behavioral: Physical Activity-based Interventions

Interventions

Physical Activity-based Interventions BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be randomized to one of two physical activity-based interventions, surf or hike therapy.

Hike Therapy; Surf Therapy

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Be a military service member seeking surf or hike therapy as part of the Wounded, Ill, and Injured Wellness program at Naval Medical Center San Diego;
• Have medical clearance to participate in these programs;
• Have a current diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder based on DSM-5 criteria.

You may not qualify if:

• Service members who are currently receiving surf or hike therapy (i.e., have already started attending program sessions);
• Service members who are currently pregnant

Sponsors & Collaborators

• United States Naval Medical Center, San Diego: lead
• Naval Health Research Center: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Naval Medical Center San Diego

San Diego, California, 92134, United States

Location

Related Publications (5)

• Walter KH, Otis NP, Glassman LH, Ray TN, Michalewicz-Kragh B, Kobayashi Elliott KT, Thomsen CJ. Comparison of surf and hike therapy for active duty service members with major depressive disorder: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of novel interventions in a naturalistic setting. Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2019 Aug 21;16:100435. doi: 10.1016/j.conctc.2019.100435. eCollection 2019 Dec.

  PMID: 31485546 BACKGROUND

• Walter KH, Otis NP, Ray TN, Glassman LH, Beltran JL, Kobayashi Elliott KT, Michalewicz-Kragh B. A randomized controlled trial of surf and hike therapy for U.S. active duty service members with major depressive disorder. BMC Psychiatry. 2023 Feb 17;23(1):109. doi: 10.1186/s12888-022-04452-7.

  PMID: 36805672 RESULT

• Otis NP, Walter KH, Glassman LH, Ray TN, Kobayashi Elliott KT, Michalewicz-Kragh B. Comorbidity of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder: Outcomes from a randomized controlled trial of surf and hike therapies among service members. Psychol Trauma. 2024 Dec;16(Suppl 3):S688-S697. doi: 10.1037/tra0001673. Epub 2024 Jul 8.

  PMID: 38976384 RESULT

• Glassman LH, Otis NP, Kobayashi Elliott KT, Michalewicz-Kragh B, Walter KH. Gender Differences in Psychological Outcomes Following Surf versus Hike Therapy among U.S. Service Members. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 Feb 19;21(2):241. doi: 10.3390/ijerph21020241.

  PMID: 38397730 RESULT

• Walter KH, Otis NP, Miggantz EL, Ray TN, Glassman LH, Beltran JL, Kobayashi Elliott KT, Michalewicz-Kragh B. Psychological and functional outcomes following a randomized controlled trial of surf and hike therapy for U.S. service members. Front Psychol. 2023 Jun 8;14:1185774. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1185774. eCollection 2023.

  PMID: 37359884 RESULT

Related Links

• Link to outcomes manuscript

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depressive Disorder, Major

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Depressive Disorder; Mood Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Cynthia J. Thomsen, Ph.D.

  Naval Health Research Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: The assessor will be blinded to participants' intervention condition.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: FED
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Clinical Research Psychologist

Model Details: Consenting active duty service members with major depressive disorder will be randomized to receive 6 weeks of either surf or hike therapy. Participants will be allowed to receive the other intervention (i.e., the condition that they were not originally randomized to) if interested after the initial intervention period.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 2, 2017
• First Posted: October 5, 2017
• Study Start: January 1, 2018
• Primary Completion: September 1, 2020
• Study Completion: September 1, 2020
• Last Updated: November 15, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)