EXperimental Paradigm to Investigate Expectation Change in Depression 4

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Major Depressive Disorder
• Interventions: Behavioral: Expectation disconfirmation; Behavioral: Expectation confirmation

• Registration Number: NCT03780881
• Lead Sponsor: Philipps University Marburg Medical Center

Brief Summary

Research has shown that people with depressive symptoms maintain negative expectations even if they have positive experiences that contradict their expectations. Healthy people, however, change their expectations after unexpected positive experiences. In this experimental study, it will now be examined whether there are also differences between healthy people and people with depressive symptoms in dealing with unexpected negative experiences.

Detailed Description

Research has already shown that people with depressive symptoms continue to hold on to negative expectations even if they have positive experiences that contradict their expectations. By contrast, healthy people change their expectations after unexpectedly positive experiences. In this experimental study, the authors will now examine whether there are also differences between healthy people and people with depressive symptoms in processing unexpectedly negative experiences. It is hypothesized that people with depressive symptoms change their expectations in a negative direction after unexpectedly negative experiences, while healthy people continue to hold on to an optimistic view.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2018-11-11
• Study First Submitted: 2018-12-18
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-12-18
• Study First Posted: 2018-12-19
• Primary Completion: 2019-03-30
• Study Completion: 2019-08-31
• Status Verified: 2023-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-12-04
• Last Update Posted: 2023-12-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 171

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Expectation disconfirmation	Expectation disconfirmation	The participants in this group receive manipulated feedback indicating that their performance was below average in the test they had previously worked on. This feedback is intended to negatively disconfirm the previously induced positive expectations of their own performance.
Expectation confirmation	Expectation confirmation	The participants in this group receive manipulated feedback indicating that their performance was very good in the test they had previously worked on. This feedback is intended to confirm the previously induced positive expectations of their own performance.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
2-Item Performance Expectations Scale - generalized	Immediately before the performance test and immediately after completion of the performance test	Changes from baseline to postassessment in generalized performance expectations. Each item is scored from 1 to 7 (1 = very negative expectations, 7 = very positive expectations), yielding a total score between 2 and 14. Higher total scores reflect more positive expectations.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
2-Item Performance Expectations Scale - task-specific	Immediately before the performance test and immediately after completion of the performance test	Changes from baseline to postassessment in task-specific performance expectations. Each item is scored from 1 to 7 (1 = very negative expectations, 7 = very positive expectations), yielding a total score between 2 and 14. Higher total scores reflect more positive expectations.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Schoen Klinik Bad Arolsen; 🇩🇪 Bad Arolsen, Hessen, Germany