Treating Depression with Text Messaging

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Status: Completed

Conditions: Moderate Depression

Treatments: Behavioral: CBT-txt

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05551702

Dep 2.0

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of the research study is to investigate whether CBT-txt, a counseling program delivered by text messages is effective in stopping or reducing depressive symptoms. CBT-txt is based on a counseling program that has been proven to reduce depression when delivered in-person and on the web, but has not yet been tested or shown to be effective when delivered by text.

Full description

After being informed about the study and potential risks, participants will complete online screening assessments. Once eligibility is confirmed, participants will be randomized either to the intervention group or to the waitlist-control group. Those who are randomized to the intervention group will receive the 8-week text intervention via smartphone and complete assessments at baseline, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months. Those who are randomized to the waitlist-control group will only complete the assessments at baseline, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months. Participants who are initially assigned to the waitlist-control group can choose to receive the text intervention once their 3-month participation is complete.

Enrollment: 103 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 25 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 18 to 25 years old
• a score of at least 5 on the PHQ-9 (indicating elevated depression symptoms

Exclusion criteria

• treatment for depression during the past three months
• endorse suicide ideation on the PHQ-9*
• lack of access to a text-capable phone
• unable or unwilling to commit to two months of follow-up
• not fluent in English.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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103 participants in 2 patient groups

Treatment

Experimental group

Description:

This arm will receive 8 weeks of the text-based intervention (CBT-txt). CBT-txt is a version of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy tailored to be delivered by automated text message. This arm will also complete surveys at baseline, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months.

Treatment:

Behavioral: CBT-txt

Waitlist Control

No Intervention group

Description:

This arm will not receive the text-based intervention during study participation. These participants will only complete surveys at baseline, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months and will be given the option to receive CBT-txt after they complete study participation.