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Psychoanalytic and cognitive-behavior therapy of chronic depression: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Manfred E Beutel1, Marianne Leuzinger-Bohleber, Bernhard Rüger
1Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. manfred.beutel@unimedizin-mainz.de
Trials
|July 28, 2012
Summary
This study investigates long-term psychodynamic therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy for chronic depression, comparing patient preference versus randomization for treatment effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Chronic depression often shows limited response to short-term psychotherapy.
- There is a significant gap in research on the long-term effectiveness of psychotherapy for chronic depression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the effectiveness of long-term psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral therapies for chronic depression.
- To compare the impact of patient preference versus randomization on treatment outcomes.
- To assess treatment effectiveness within the German healthcare system.
Main Methods:
- A combined naturalistic and randomized controlled trial (RCT) design.
- Patients allocated by preference or randomization to psychodynamic or CBT treatments.
- Up to 80 sessions of psychodynamic or 60 sessions of CBT in year one, with extended naturalistic treatment for psychodynamic therapy.
- 11 assessments over three years, with primary outcomes measured by QIDS and BDI after year one.
Main Results:
- Primary outcomes include Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores after one year.
- Long-term effectiveness of psychodynamic and CBT treatments will be evaluated.
- The influence of treatment preference versus randomization on outcomes will be analyzed.
Conclusions:
- The study combines naturalistic and RCT approaches to evaluate long-term psychotherapy for chronic depression.
- It assesses two major forms of psychotherapy reimbursed by the German healthcare system.
- Findings will elucidate the effects of patient preference versus randomization in treatment selection.
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