Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Chronic Depression

Johannes Michalak

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2

Conditions: Chronic Major Depression

Treatments: Biological: Standard psychiatric care; Behavioral: The Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy; Behavioral: Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01065311

DFG Mi 700/4

Details and patient eligibility

About

The propose of the study is to investigate the efficacy of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT, Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2002) for patients suffering from Chronic Major Depression. The efficacy of MBCT will be compared with the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (McCullough, 2003), a treatment approach, which has proven it's efficacy yet, and with a treatment-as-usual condition (standard psychiatric outpatient care).

Full description

Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP) is a treatment approach specifically developed for the treatment of chronic depression. CBASP aims to change dysfunctional interpersonal patterns. Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) has recently been proposed as a further treatment option for chronic depression. MBCT trains patients to step out of negative ruminative states of mind. There are no direct comparisons of the psychological treatment options for chronic depression.

Enrollment: 106 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 70 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Clinical diagnoses of Major Depression, single episode, chronic or
• Major Depression, recurrent, chronic
• Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score > 14
• Beck Depression Inventory II score > 14

Exclusion criteria

• History of Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder
• Current Substance Dependence or Eating Disorder
• Mental Disorder Due to General Medical Condition
• Borderline Personality Disorder

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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106 participants in 3 patient groups

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy

Experimental group

Description:

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy is based on an integration of certain aspects of cognitive behavioral therapy for depression (Beck et al., 1979) and components of the Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction program developed by Kabat-Zinn and colleagues (Kabat-Zinn, 1990). After an initial orientation session, the MBCT program is delivered weekly by an instructor in eight 2.5 hr group sessions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy

Biological: Standard psychiatric care

CBASP

Active Comparator group

Description:

The Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy integrates behavioral, cognitive, and interpersonal strategies. After two initial orientation sessions, the MBCT program is delivered by an instructor in eight weekly 2.5 hr group sessions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: The Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy

Biological: Standard psychiatric care

Treatment-as-usual

Active Comparator group

Description:

Standard psychiatric outpatient care: All patients were requested to get treated individually either by a psychiatrist or by a licensed psychotherapist (not member of the study team). If patients were already in psychiatric/psychotherapeutic individual treatment at study intake they continued their treatment with this psychiatrist/psychotherapist

Treatment:

Biological: Standard psychiatric care