Long-term Efficacy of Metacognitive Training for Depression (D-MCT)
Condition: Unipolar Depression
MeSH terms: Depression; Depressive Disorder
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Aim of the current study is to investigate the long-term efficacy of Metacognitive Training
      for Depression (D-MCT) and to explore whether previously observed effects at the 6-month
      follow-up of a randomized, controlled, assessor-blind, parallel group trial are maintained at
      the 3-year follow-up.
    

Detailed description: 
      Dissemination of treatment for depression is still unsatisfying: every second patient does
      not receive, refuses, or is waiting for treatment. Moreover, with a drop-out rate of almost
      25% in routine clinical practice, and a 54% relapse rate for treatment responders within the
      two years after treatment termination, improving treatment is necessary. Metacognitive
      Training for depression (D-MCT), a low threshold, easy to administer group intervention was
      designed to fill this gap. It aims at the reduction of depressive symptoms by changing
      cognitive biases; not only biases targeted in cognitive behavioral therapy but also those
      identified by basic research. It was positively evaluated with regard to feasibility and
      acceptance in a non-randomized pilot study. Moreover, efficacy of D-MCT was suggested in a
      randomized controlled trail (RCT) in comparison to an active control intervention (Jelinek et
      al., in press). In this trial patients with depressive disorder were completing a
      psychosomatic outpatient treatment program and were randomly assigned to either D-MCT or
      general health training. Severity of depression and cognitive biases were assessed at
      baseline (t0), post treatment (t1) and 6 months (t2) later by raters blind to diagnostic
      status. Intention-to-treat analyses demonstrated that at the end of treatment, as well as 6
      months later, improvement in depression was significantly greater in the D-MCT relative to
      the health training group at medium effect sizes. A significantly greater number of patients
      in the D-MCT group were in remission at 6-month follow-up. Moreover, the decrease in
      cognitive biases and increase in psychological well-being/quality of life was larger in the
      D-MCT than the health training group over time. Aim of the current study is to investigate
      the long-term efficacy of D-MCT. For this purpose, an additional 3 year follow-up assessment
      (t3) is conducted. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS, 17-item version) total score
      serves as the primary outcome. Self-assessed depression, dysfunctional beliefs, self-esteem,
      quality of life, and ability to work serve as secondary outcomes.
    

Intervention name(s): D-MCT; Health Training
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Metacognitive Training for Depression (D-MCT), 8 sessions (60min); twice a week over a period of 4 weeks. Metacognitive Training for depression (D-MCT) is a low-threshold, easy to administer group intervention. It aims at the reduction of depressive symptoms by changing cognitive biases; not only biases targeted in cognitive behavioral therapy but also those identified by basic research.; Health Training Group (Walking/ Psychoeducation on health); 8 sessions (60min), twice a week over a period of 4 weeks
Other intervention name(s): Metacognitive Training for Depression
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment