Differential Efficacy of Supportive and Interpretative Psychodynamic Techniques for Dependent and Self-critical Depressive Patients: an Experimental Single Case Design.
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Sponsor
- University Ghent
- Enrollment
- 120
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Reduction in depressive symptoms at 25 weeks (50 sessions, 2 sessions/week).
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 4 years ago
Overview
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).
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Patient meets criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (as assessed by SCID-I and DSM-IV-TR)
- •Patient is prepared to give informed consent
Exclusion Criteria
- •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)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Reduction in depressive symptoms at 25 weeks (50 sessions, 2 sessions/week).
Time Frame: 25 weeks
•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).
Secondary Outcomes
- 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)