Clinical trial NCT00043550: Treatments for Depression: Drug Versus Psychotherapy
Official title: Efficacy of Dynamic Therapy Versus Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor for Depression
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: PHASE3
Conditions: Depression
Keywords: Major Depressive Disorder
Lead sponsor: University of Pennsylvania
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
First posted: 2002-08-12
Enrollment: 156
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 70
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This 4-8 month study, with a 2-year follow up period, will compare sertraline (Zoloft®), venlafaxine (Effexor®), supportive-expressive psychotherapy, and placebo to determine which is more effective in treating major depression.

Detailed description: MDD is one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders. Different forms of psychotherapy for depression have been found effective. This study compares a form of dynamic psychotherapy called supportive-expressive psychotherapy to medication and to placebo.

Participants are evaluated on 2 occasions, 1 week apart, before they are randomly assigned to receive either supportive-expressive psychotherapy, sertraline (Zoloft) (followed by venlafaxine \[Effexor\] if patients do not respond to sertraline), or placebo. The active phase of treatment lasts 4 months. The frequency of patients' visits depends on the assigned treatment.

Patients who are randomized to receive medication or placebo are initially seen on a weekly basis, then less often, depending on the rate of symptomatic improvement. Patients who are randomized to psychotherapy are seen twice a week for the first 4 weeks, then once a week for the remaining 12 weeks. Outcome is monitored at week 2,4,6,7,8, 12, 15 and 16. At the end of the first 16 weeks of treatment, patients are thoroughly evaluated. Those who have responded to treatment are assigned to a continuation phase and are seen once a month for another 16 weeks. At the end of the 16-week continuation phase, patients are again evaluated and all treatments are stopped. Follow-up continues every 3 months for up to 2 years to ensure that the patients' depression remains under control.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion criteria:

* Major Depressive Disorder diagnosis

Exclusion criteria:

* Psychotic or bipolar disorder diagnosis
* Substance dependence in the last 6 months

Primary outcomes:
measure: Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression-17 Item
timeFrame: symptoms assessed during past 7 days, measure taken at baseline, week 8 and week 16
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Philadelphia
country: United States
facility: University of Pennsylvania
state: Pennsylvania
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Pennsylvania
name: Jacques Barber, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Barber JP, Muenz LR. The role of avoidance and obsessiveness in matching patients to cognitive and interpersonal psychotherapy: empirical findings from the treatment for depression collaborative research program. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1996 Oct;64(5):951-8. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.64.5.951.
citation: Kuprian N, Aafjes-van Doorn K, Gutterman D, Barber JP. Therapeutic immediacy in psychodynamic psychotherapy for depression: A mixed-method study. Psychotherapy (Chic). 2022 Dec;59(4):554-566. doi: 10.1037/pst0000452. Epub 2022 Aug 1.
citation: Solomonov N, Falkenstrom F, Gorman BS, McCarthy KS, Milrod B, Rudden MG, Chambless DL, Barber JP. Differential effects of alliance and techniques on Panic-Specific Reflective Function and misinterpretation of bodily sensations in two treatments for panic. Psychother Res. 2020 Jan;30(1):97-111. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2019.1585591. Epub 2019 Mar 1.
citation: Solomonov N, McCarthy KS, Gorman BS, Barber JP. The Multitheoretical List of Therapeutic Interventions - 30 items (MULTI-30). Psychother Res. 2019 Jul;29(5):565-580. doi: 10.1080/10503307.2017.1422216. Epub 2018 Jan 16.
citation: Zilcha-Mano S, Keefe JR, Chui H, Rubin A, Barrett MS, Barber JP. Reducing Dropout in Treatment for Depression: Translating Dropout Predictors Into Individualized Treatment Recommendations. J Clin Psychiatry. 2016 Dec;77(12):e1584-e1590. doi: 10.4088/JCP.15m10081.
citation: Zilcha-Mano S, Dinger U, McCarthy KS, Barrett MS, Barber JP. Changes in well-being and quality of life in a randomized trial comparing dynamic psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord. 2014 Jan;152-154:538-42. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2013.10.015. Epub 2013 Oct 16.
citation: Barber JP, Barrett MS, Gallop R, Rynn MA, Rickels K. Short-term dynamic psychotherapy versus pharmacotherapy for major depressive disorder: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. J Clin Psychiatry. 2012 Jan;73(1):66-73. doi: 10.4088/JCP.11m06831. Epub 2011 Nov 29.