Study on the Effectiveness of Journaling as an add-on to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

University Hospital Tuebingen

Status: Invitation-only

Conditions: Childhood Trauma; Mental Disorder; Personality Disorder; Eating Disorder; Substance Use Disorder; Affective Disorders; Rumination

Treatments: Behavioral: Treatment as Usual (TAU); Behavioral: Journaling

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06863909

611/2024BO2

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of the present study is to examine the effects of keeping a therapy journal (journaling) on the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Homework assignments are a fundamental component of behavioral therapies. In line with the learning theory foundation of behavioral therapies, various types of homework are used to facilitate learning processes between therapy sessions and to enable patients to make progress. One way to enhance individual goal setting and reflection in patients is through the use of "therapy journals."

The goal of the planned project is to evaluate the effectiveness of goal-oriented journal writing as an additional element in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). To do this, N = 80 psychotherapy patients will be randomly assigned to two treatment groups: CBT vs. CBT + Journaling.

Full description

As part of this study, the investigators are examining the effectiveness of certain therapeutic techniques that could improve the effectiveness of psychotherapy. A total of 80 patients will be studied, and they will be assigned to one of two treatment groups: one group will receive standard treatment, while the second group will receive additional tasks/techniques. The study will span a period of 24 sessions (short-term psychotherapy KZT1&2), during which the severity of their symptoms will be assessed at the beginning of each session (duration approx. 2 minutes). Additionally, participants will be asked to answer some questions about basic documentation (diagnoses, symptoms) at the beginning and end of the study (duration approx. 20 minutes).

The investigators assure that the personal data they collect will be protected in accordance with the European Data Protection Regulation. Collected data will only be analyzed in anonymized form, meaning without mentioning any names, and may be published in scientific journals. All data will be stored in encrypted form using personal codes. All data will be digitally archived for a period of 10 years on a well-secured drive at the University Hospital Tübingen; only the study leaders (Dr. Rosenbaum and Dr. Ehlis) are authorized to re-identify the data. The investigators would like to inform that the collected data will not be used for diagnostic purposes regarding possible pathological changes. There are no health risks associated with this study, and while it is unlikely to benefit personally from it, the participation will contribute to scientific knowledge.

Enrollment: 80 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• patients in ambulant cognitive behavioral therapy

Exclusion criteria

• none

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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80 participants in 2 patient groups

Treatment as usual

Active Comparator group

Treatment:

Behavioral: Treatment as Usual (TAU)

Treatment as usual + Journaling

Experimental group

Treatment:

Behavioral: Journaling

Behavioral: Treatment as Usual (TAU)