Improve: Integrating Emotion Focused Components Into Psychological Therapy

University of Bern

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2

Conditions: Anxiety Disorder; Unipolar Depression; Adjustment Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: Psychological therapy (PT) as TAU with integrated emotion focused components (TAU - EFT); Behavioral: Psychological therapy (PT) as TAU with focus on self-regulation (TAU - SR)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02822443

SNF100019_159425 /1

Details and patient eligibility

About

The primary purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of two treatment-as-usual (TAU) conditions: TAU with integration of emotion focused components (EFT) and TAU with focus on self-regulation (SR). Especially the long-term efficacy is evaluated with a focus on differential effects. Moreover, the mechanisms of change of both conditions are investigated.

Full description

Background:

"General Psychotherapy" postulates an ongoing process of including all interventions and concepts relevant for a domain, be they from other approaches to psychotherapy or concepts from basic science. "Psychological Therapy" (PT) is a therapeutic approach largely corresponding to the ideas of General Psychotherapy. It draws mainly on empirically validated interventions from Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and is based on concepts with a strong basis in academic psychology and neighboring fields. PT is based on explicit individual case conceptualization, reference to general therapeutic factors, and an explicit prescriptive concept for building and maintaining the therapeutic relationship. However the range of emotion-related interventions commonly used in PT is limited when compared with an approach like Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT). EFT appears thus as a suitable complement and enrichment to PT as commonly practiced. However, effects of integrating EFT-based interventions in a way that is close to common integrative practice have not yet been studied.

Objective:

To compare the efficacy of two treatment-as-usual (TAU) conditions: TAU with integration of EFT components and TAU with focus on self-regulation (SR).

Methods:

In Switzerland, a randomized-controlled trail will be carried out in secondary care, comparing the efficacy of TAU - EFT and TAU - SR for adults with major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder or adjustment disorder. Respondents will be followed until 36 months after end of therapy (measures will be taken at baseline, after 8 and after 16 weeks, at the end of therapy after 25 weeks, 6 months, 12 months and 36 months follow-up).

Enrollment: 104 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Major Depressive Disorder, Anxiety Disorder or Adjustment Disorder according to DSM-IV as main diagnosis
• Minimum age of 18 years
• Mastery of the German language for being able to undergo a psychotherapy in German
• Written informed consent to participate voluntary in the study

Exclusion criteria

• Acute suicidality or immediate threats of self-harm
• Diagnosis or history of a psychotic disorder
• Mood incongruent psychotic symptoms
• Bipolar disorder
• Comorbid chronic organic disorder
• Substance use disorder as a main diagnosis
• Indication for a residential treatment

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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104 participants in 2 patient groups

TAU - EFT

Experimental group

Description:

This arm integrates emotion focused components (EFT; Greenberg, 2010) into psychological therapy (PT) as treatment-as-usual (TAU), aiming at clarifying and transforming maladaptive emotions. 25 (+/- 3) weekly sessions and up to three booster sessions of face-to-face outpatient psychotherapy; psychological therapy with focus on emotion-focused interventions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Psychological therapy (PT) as TAU with integrated emotion focused components (TAU - EFT)

TAU - SR

Experimental group

Description:

This arm focuses on the training of self-regulation strategies (SR; Carver \& Scheier, 2000) in the context of psychological therapy (PT) as treatment-as-usual (TAU). 25 (+/- 3) weekly sessions and up to three booster sessions of face-to-face outpatient psychotherapy; psychological therapy with focus on self-regulation without emotion-focused interventions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Psychological therapy (PT) as TAU with focus on self-regulation (TAU - SR)