Targeted ACT Compared to Supportive Therapy for Depression RCT

NCT ID: NCT06900608

Last Updated: 2025-03-28

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 52 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2010-02-01
• Study Completion Date: 2011-12-31

Brief Summary

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has demonstrated efficacy in reducing depressive symptoms, primarily compared to no treatment or minimal treatment controls. This study compared the efficacy of ACT targeting cognitive defusion (CD, 3 sessions) and values-based activity scheduling (VBAS, 3 sessions) to supportive therapy (ST). Both treatments offered six sessions, a rationale for the approach, related techniques, and homework assignments. A parallel group randomized controlled efficacy trial design was used. Participants were stratified by gender identification and depression severity and then randomly allocated, according to a predetermined sequence, 2:1 to ACT or ST. Dependent measures were collected during acute treatment (pre, mid, and post-treatment) and follow-up at one-month.

Conditions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; Supportive Therapy

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

A 6-session ACT intervention was implemented targeting Cognitive Defusion (CD) and Values-Based Activity Scheduling (VBAS). During the first 3 sessions, the therapist taught participants how to defuse from negative self-thoughts using didactic and experiential techniques and emphasized the relationship between negative thoughts and the self and learning to observe negative thoughts for what they are - thoughts, words, ideas, and evaluations. During sessions 4-6, the therapist used similar techniques to focus on behaving in meaningful ways without letting negative thoughts dictate behavior. During these VBAS sessions, the participant identified their values and worked with the therapist to decide on goals that were values-consistent, and focused on those foals without letting negative thoughts and emotions get in the way of living toward them.

Supportive Therapy

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Treatment as usual

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The 6-session supportive therapy (ST) condition emphasized the exploration of feelings; helping the client to become aware of and talk about emotional experiences with no attempt to change thoughts, behaviors, or the client's experiences directly (Greenberg et al., 1998). Psychoeducation emphasized the untoward effects of not acknowledging or exploring feelings and benefits of identification and talking about feelings. The therapist used open-ended questions, reflective listening, empathy, and clarification questions. Therapists did not give advice, offer solutions, make interpretations, or disagree with/confront the client. For homework, the participants were asked to complete "awareness homework," involving monitoring of presence, intensity, and duration of emotions with no prescription to change them or do anything differently.

Interventions

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

A 6-session ACT intervention was implemented targeting Cognitive Defusion (CD) and Values-Based Activity Scheduling (VBAS). During the first 3 sessions, the therapist taught participants how to defuse from negative self-thoughts using didactic and experiential techniques and emphasized the relationship between negative thoughts and the self and learning to observe negative thoughts for what they are - thoughts, words, ideas, and evaluations. During sessions 4-6, the therapist used similar techniques to focus on behaving in meaningful ways without letting negative thoughts dictate behavior. During these VBAS sessions, the participant identified their values and worked with the therapist to decide on goals that were values-consistent, and focused on those foals without letting negative thoughts and emotions get in the way of living toward them.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Treatment as usual

The 6-session supportive therapy (ST) condition emphasized the exploration of feelings; helping the client to become aware of and talk about emotional experiences with no attempt to change thoughts, behaviors, or the client's experiences directly (Greenberg et al., 1998). Psychoeducation emphasized the untoward effects of not acknowledging or exploring feelings and benefits of identification and talking about feelings. The therapist used open-ended questions, reflective listening, empathy, and clarification questions. Therapists did not give advice, offer solutions, make interpretations, or disagree with/confront the client. For homework, the participants were asked to complete "awareness homework," involving monitoring of presence, intensity, and duration of emotions with no prescription to change them or do anything differently.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

Supportive Therapy

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• 18 years or older
• Scored one SD below the mean on the RSES and BSI
• Proficiency in English
• If taking medication for psychiatric reasons, stable medication use for at least eight weeks prior to enrollment and agreement to no changes in dosing during study participation.

Exclusion Criteria

• Receiving other forms of psychological treatment
• Meeting PDSQ Interview criteria for psychosis, panic disorder, substance use, or endorsement of significant suicidal ideation

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Western Michigan University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Other Identifiers

WMich

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id