Mobile Apps for the Treatment of Depression

Not Applicable

Withdrawn

• Conditions: Major Depressive Disorder
• Interventions: Behavioral: Behavioral activation plus mobile app; Behavioral: Standard behavioral activation

• Registration Number: NCT02024620
• Lead Sponsor: Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System

Brief Summary

Smartphone applications (apps) may be well-suited as a low cost adjunctive tool for increasing the adherence of individuals to psychotherapy treatments which may subsequently increase symptom reduction and improve clinical outcomes. Apps offer the opportunity for real-time tracking of behavior and have the ability to provide prompt feedback and reminders in a convenient, readily available technology. The immediacy and convenience of apps may be responsible for the observed improvements in adherence on the part of the patients relative to traditional paper-and-pencil tracking and practice of skills taught in psychotherapy. These features are relevant to behavioral activation (BA) protocols, the effects of which are often attenuated by failure to adhere to regular practice and tracking of behavior. The Mood Coach app is a BA protocol developed to provide a convenient means of planning and tracking activity, and monitoring mood responses to scheduled increases in activity. This project evaluates the utility of this app as an adjunct to standard BA treatment. The investigators predict that participants assigned to the BA+app condition will demonstrate greater adherence to the BA treatment compared to the standard BA condition. The investigators also predict that the participants in the BA+app condition will report greater satisfaction with the app compared to the standard BA protocol that utilizes paper and pencil materials.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2013-12-04
• Study First Submitted QC: 2013-12-26
• Study First Posted: 2013-12-31
• Study Start: 2014-03
• Primary Completion: 2014-10
• Study Completion: 2014-10
• Status Verified: 2015-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-12-14
• Last Update Posted: 2015-12-15

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: WITHDRAWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: Not specified

Inclusion Criteria

• Veterans aged 18 and older
• Speak and understand English
• Meet criteria for major depressive disorder
• Willing to participate in psychotherapy for depression

Exclusion Criteria

• Current psychotic disorder diagnosis
• Current bipolar disorder
• Diagnosed with a substance use disorder that is not currently being addressed by a non-study provider
• Patients receiving a concurrent evidence-based psychotherapy for depression or PTSD

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Behavioral activation plus mobile app	Behavioral activation plus mobile app	Standard behavioral activation protocol with the addition of the Mood Coach mobile app to replace the paper and pencil forms used in the standard protocol.
Standard behavioral activation	Standard behavioral activation	Standard behavioral activation protocol using paper and pencil forms for treatment delivery and homework completion.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale-Short Form	Week 1, Week 4, Week 8	Measures symptoms of depression consistent with a behavioral deficits model in a brief format.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21	Week 1, Week 4, Week 8	Assesses symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in a brief format.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System; 🇺🇸 North Little Rock, Arkansas, United States