Targeting Cognitive Immunization in Depression

NCT03460574 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2017-39k
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 135
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Research has shown that people suffering from MDD tend to maintain dysfunctional expectations despite experiences that disconfirm expectations. Recently, it has been shown that this persistence of expectations is due to maladaptive information processing involving "cognitive immunization". This experimental study aims at testing three different strategies to inhibit cognitive immunization, in order to enhance expectation change.

Conditions

Major Depressive Disorder

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Performance Expectations Scale - generalized

  Change from Baseline to Postassessment in generalized performance expectations

  Directly prior to the performance test and directly after completing the performance test

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Performance Expectations Scale - task-specific

  Directly prior to the performance test and directly after completing the performance test

Study Arms (4)

INFORMATION

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this condition receive a manipulation suggesting that the performance test "TEMINT", they previously worked on, has been shown to be highly relevant for daily life and professional success. We anticipated that after receiving this fake information about the TEMINT, it would be difficult for participants to engage in cognitive immunization processes because the validity and utility of the expectation-disconfirming experience is explicitly highlighted.

Behavioral: INFORMATION

SALIENCE

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this condition are asked to think about how well they performed on this really difficult performance test. We anticipated that this manipulation would enhance expectation change, as the salience of the expectation-disconfirming experience was explicitly increased.

Behavioral: SALIENCE

ATTENTION

EXPERIMENTAL

Before working on the performance test, participants in this conditions receive the instruction to attentionally focus on their personal result in the performance test. Further, they are asked to specify what would be personally good result for them. We anticipated that after receiving this instruction, the expectation-disconfirming performance feedback should be salient for the participants, hence making it difficult for them to engage in cognitive immunization strategies.

Behavioral: ATTENTION

CONTROL

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this condition receive no further information. Therefore, they are passing through the standard procedure of the previously developed experimental paradigm.

Behavioral: CONTROL

Interventions

INFORMATION BEHAVIORAL

After receiving expectation-disconfirming positive performance feedback, participants receive standardized information that stresses the relevance of this experience. In particular, participants are told that the performance test they worked on is highly relevant for both professional success and personal life satisfaction.

INFORMATION

SALIENCE BEHAVIORAL

After receiving expectation-disconfirming positive performance feedback, partcipants in this condition are instructed to remember how well they performed on the performance test. Using a visual analogue scale, they were asked to specify how they performed relative to the other participants.

SALIENCE

ATTENTION BEHAVIORAL

Before working on the performance test, participants are instructed to pay attention to the feedback they receive. In particular, they are asked to enter what would be a personally good result for them. It is supposed that this shift of attention increases the salience of the expectation-disconfirming feedback.

ATTENTION

CONTROL BEHAVIORAL

This group does not receive any further intervention. Instead, participants of this group pass through the standard procedure of the EXPEC paradigm.

CONTROL

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• current diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder
• at least 18 years old
• sufficient German language knowledge

You may not qualify if:

• \- none

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Philipps University Marburg: lead

Study Sites (1)

Schoen Klinik Bad Arolsen

Bad Arolsen, Hesse, 34454, Germany

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Kube T, Rief W, Gollwitzer M, Glombiewski JA. Introducing an EXperimental Paradigm to investigate Expectation Change (EXPEC). J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2018 Jun;59:92-99. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2017.12.002. Epub 2017 Dec 12.

  PMID: 29253640 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depressive Disorder, Major

Interventions

Neuropsychological Tests

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Depressive Disorder; Mood Disorders; Mental Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Psychological Tests; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Officials

• Tobias Kube, M. Sc.

  Philipps University Marburg

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR
• Masking Details: The investigator randomly assigns participants to one of the experimental conditions. Participants are not aware which experimental condition they are allocated to.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: Parallel Assignment Participants are assigned to one of four experimental groups in parallel for the duration of the study

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 29, 2018
• First Posted: March 9, 2018
• Study Start: October 14, 2017
• Primary Completion: April 30, 2018
• Study Completion: August 21, 2018
• Last Updated: August 23, 2018

Record last verified: 2018-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

DE (1)