A Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial of Memory Specificity Training (MEST) for Depression

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Depressive Symptoms; Major Depressive Disorder
• Interventions: Behavioral: Education and Support; Behavioral: Memory Specificity Training

• Registration Number: NCT01882452
• Lead Sponsor: Medical Research Council

Brief Summary

Depression involves the tendency to recall overgeneral personal memories, a phenomenon which has been linked to numerous adverse psychological outcomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a group-based Memory Specificity Training (MEST) programme improves outcomes in depression, and how this compares to an education and support control group. The primary aim is to examine whether MEST, which involves repeated practice retrieving specific autobiographical memories reduces depressive symptoms immediately post-treatment, and whether this is maintained 3 months after treatment. The secondary objective of this trial is to examine the role of hypothesised cognitive processes (ie., rumination, executive control, cognitive avoidance) which may underlie improvements in depression and memory.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2013-06-18
• Study First Submitted QC: 2013-06-18
• Study First Posted: 2013-06-20
• Study Start: 2013-07
• Primary Completion: 2016-08
• Study Completion: 2016-10
• Status Verified: 2018-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2018-03-21
• Last Update Posted: 2018-03-22

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 60

Inclusion Criteria

• Principal diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder
• History of more than one previous depressive episode
• Current diagnosis of a Major Depressive Episode
• Depressive symptoms rated in the mild-severe range (> 13 on the BDI-II)
• Memory specificity < .70 (as assessed on the AMT)

Exclusion Criteria

• Head trauma
• Organic brain damage
• Secondary diagnosis of another affective disorder
• Psychosis
• Current drug or alcohol abuse or dependence
• A diagnosed Axis II disorder

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Education and Support	Education and Support	Five weekly one-hour sessions of an education-and-discussion supportive intervention, administered in groups of 5-8 participants.
Memory Specificity Training	Memory Specificity Training	Five weekly one-hour sessions of memory specificity training administered in groups of 5-8 participants.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change from baseline in depressive symptoms on the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II)	Change from baseline to 3 months post-treatment	Symptom severity score

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in depressive status according to the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - IV (SCID-IV)	Change from baseline at end of treatment (approximately 6 weeks) and 3 months post-treatment, and 6-months post-treatment (6-month follow-up for MEST group only)	Presence of a current Major Depressive Episode (MDE)
Change from baseline in autobiographical memory specificity on Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT)	Change from baseline at end of treatment (approximately 6 weeks) and 3 months post-treatment	Memory specificity level
Change from baseline in depressive symptoms as measured on the BDI-II	Change from baseline to post-treatment (approximately 6-weeks)	Symptom severity score
Depression free days following treatment according to the Longitudinal Follow-up Evaluation on the SCID-IV	Post-treatment and 3-month and 6-month follow-up	Number of depression-free days

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Aliza Werner-Seidler; 🇦🇺 Sydney, Australia