Gottman Couple Therapy Program in Treatment of Depressed Female Partners

NCT07748845 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 36264MD76/4/23
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Gottman couple therapy program targeted for discordant couples struggling with the negative impact of depression of the female partner and compare between the outcome in case of usual treatment of depression and the outcome with applying Gottman program added to the usual treatment of depression in the female partner.

Conditions

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD); Female

Keywords

Gottman couple Therapy; female partners; Major Depressive Disorder

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• severity of depression by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale

  Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS): The questionnaire is designed for adults and is used to rate severity of depression by probing mood, feeling of guilt, suicidal ideation, insomnia, agitation or retardation, anxiety, weight loss and somatic symptoms. Eight items are scored on a 5-point scale, ranging from 0 = not present to 4 = severe. Nine items are scored from 0-2. The total score was calculated by summation of the first seventeen items. The severity of depression was divided into 4 categories as follows: 0- 7are considered as normal patients, 8-16 suggesting mild depression, 17-23 suggesting moderate depression and scores over 24 indicating severe depression.

  12 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Satisfaction score by ENRICH marital satisfaction scale

  12 months

Study Arms (2)

Group 1: receive Gottman couple therapy program

EXPERIMENTAL

Group 1: receive Gottman couple therapy program with their partners, in addition to the usual treatment of depression

Other: Gottman couple therapy

Group 2: undergo treatment as usual for depression.

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Group 2: will undergo treatment as usual for depression.

Other: treatment as usual for depression

Interventions

Gottman couple therapy OTHER

Gottman Method for Couple Therapy is based on "sound relationship house" theory that proposes seven relational processes: 1. Build love maps. A love map is a road map of one's partner's inner world, built by asking open-ended questions. 2. Build the fondness and admiration system by expressing affection and respect in small, everyday moments. 3. Turn toward instead of away or against by noticing and responding to a partner's bids for emotional connection. 4. Allow positive sentiment override, which results in not taking negative partner actions personally, or give the partner the benefit of the doubt. 5. Take a two-pronged approach toward managing conflict by (a) using a gentle approach in presenting complaints, accepting influence, physiological soothing, and compromise, and (b) establishing a dialogue with perpetual problems that examines and honors the existential dreams of both partners within the conflict. 6. Honor one another's individual, and perhaps unshared, life dreams.

Group 1: receive Gottman couple therapy program

treatment as usual for depression OTHER

Group 2: undergo treatment as usual for depression

Group 2: undergo treatment as usual for depression.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 60 Years
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Age of partners: between 20 and 60 years
• Married for at least 1 year.
• Female partners meet the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder with a score of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale above 7
• Discordant couples, as indicated by a score of 45 or lower on ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale.
• Commitment to participate in the therapy sessions.

You may not qualify if:

• Male partners who meet the diagnostic criteria for a depressive disorder.
• Co-morbid psychiatric illness for any partner
• Couples if one or both disclosed an act of infidelity or more than two acts of physical aggression in the preceding 3 months.
• Couples on the verge of divorce
• Co-morbid serious medical or neurological disorder (stroke, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, ..etc)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Tanta University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Tanta University

Tanta, Egypt

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depressive Disorder, Major

Interventions

Therapeutics

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Depressive Disorder; Mood Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant lecturer

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 31, 2026
• First Posted: August 6, 2026
• Study Start: April 30, 2023
• Primary Completion: May 30, 2024
• Study Completion: December 30, 2024
• Last Updated: August 6, 2026

Record last verified: 2023-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, ICF

Locations

EG (1)