Motivational Interviewing to Improve Medication Adherence Among Hispanic Adults With Depression

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

Status and phase

Completed

Phase 1

Conditions

Depression

Treatments

Behavioral: Treatment as usual

Behavioral: Motivational interviewing

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

NIH

Identifiers

NCT00356304

DSIR 8K-RT

K23MH074860 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will determine the effectiveness of motivational interviewing in improving antidepressant medication adherence among Hispanics.

Full description

Depression is a serious mental illness characterized by symptoms that can interfere with a person's ability to work, study, eat, sleep, and enjoy activities that were once pleasurable. Studies have shown that people of Hispanic descent tend to underutilize mental health care services. Additionally, Hispanics have demonstrated lower compliance and completion rates for antidepressant treatment. This may be due to low socioeconomic status, lack of family financial support, and inadequate communication with mental health care providers. Motivational interviewing is a goal-oriented type of therapy that focuses on eliciting behavior change by identifying and mobilizing a person's values. This study will determine the effectiveness of culturally sensitive motivational interviewing in improving antidepressant medication adherence in Hispanics.

Participants in this 6-month, open-label study will be randomly assigned to receive either motivational interviewing in addition to their antidepressant therapy or treatment as usual. All participants will first attend a 45-minute screening visit, which will include questionnaires and an interview about psychiatric symptoms, medication attitudes, and medication adherence behavior. Participants will also receive an electronic medication container that will record how consistently medication is taken. Participants assigned to motivational interviewing will then attend two 1-hour sessions of motivational interviewing over 2 consecutive weeks, followed by a third session 8 weeks later. The group assigned to treatment as usual will not partake in motivational interviewing, but will continue to receive their normal care. All participants will return to the study site for follow-up assessments, which will include measures of antidepressant adherence, at Months 2 and 5.

Enrollment

50 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 65 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Self-identifies as Hispanic
DSM-IV diagnosis of any unipolar depressive disorder (i.e., MDD, dysthymia, or depressive disorder not otherwise specified)
Currently taking antidepressant medication

Exclusion criteria

Clinically significant suicidal ideation
DSM-IV diagnosis of any substance-related disorder, bipolar disorder, or psychotic disorder/features within 12 months prior to study entry
Unstable general medical condition