Computerized Information-Processing Bias Retraining in Depressed Adolescents
Condition: Major Depression
MeSH terms: Depression; Depressive Disorder; Depressive Disorder, Major
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 2

Summary: 
      This study will examine how well a novel four-session computerized program, designed to help
      adolescents learn to interpret ambiguous situations less negatively, reduces symptoms of
      depression and decreases negative information-processing biases.
    

Detailed description: 
      Major Depression is a markedly impairing disorder that affects up to 20% of adolescents
      before adulthood, and is associated with significant impairment in adolescents' emotional and
      social development. While antidepressant medication and psychotherapy are effective in
      treating some depressed adolescents, approximately 30% fail to respond to a combination of
      these treatments. Furthermore, many families are reluctant to pursue antidepressant
      medication for depressed adolescents because of concerns about potentially increasing risk of
      suicidal ideation. Thus, there is a critical need for effective, non-pharmacological
      treatments for this population. One promising new intervention consists of modifying negative
      information-processing biases associated with depression. Recent research has suggested that
      these biases may be modified using a computerized program that provides repeated exposure to
      positive interpretations of salient, ambiguous situations, with the goal of interpreting
      ambiguity less negatively. These modification programs have been efficacious in altering
      interpretation biases and reducing anxiety in adults with social and specific phobias.
      Therefore, the proposed study aims to examine the efficacy of an adapted interpretation bias
      modification program for depressed adolescents. Specifically, the study will examine the
      efficacy of four sessions of the modification program in altering interpretation biases and
      reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and negative affect. A total of 60 adolescents
      (ages 14-21) with symptoms of major depression will be randomly assigned to either the active
      intervention condition (four sessions of the modification program over two weeks) or an
      attention control condition. Measures will include a diagnostic interview, self-report
      measures of depression, anxiety, and negative affect, and a test of interpretation bias in
      response to ambiguous situations. It is hypothesized that: 1) Compared to adolescents in the
      attention control condition, adolescents who receive four sessions of the positive
      interpretive training will experience a significantly larger decrease from baseline to
      post-treatment in negative interpretation bias (e.g., more positive and fewer negative
      interpretations of ambiguous situations) on a measure of interpretation bias; and, 2)Compared
      to adolescents in the attention control condition, adolescents who receive the positive
      interpretation training will experience a significantly larger decrease from baseline to
      post-treatment in self-reported state depression, anxiety, and negative affect.
    

Intervention name(s): Computerized Information-Processing Bias Retraining; Attention Control Training
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The intervention consists of the presentation of three-line ambiguous scenarios via a computer program, one line at a time. A disambiguating word fragment completes the scenario (in either a positive or neutral valence, depending on the scenario), after which participants will type the first letter of the word on the keyboard to ensure they are encoding the interpretation valence. The computer will indicate if they have correctly identified the word. This is followed by a Y/N comprehension question. Each session presents 100 training scenarios.; Four sessions of interpretation training for "filler" or neutral scenarios, unrelated to themes associated with depression.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Major Depression; Depression; Anxiety; Dysthymia