Social Cognitive Training to Enhance the Efficacy of CBT forDepression in Youth: A Developmental Approach (R33)
Vanderbilt University
Summary
Depression in youth is a serious public health concern for which more personalized treatments are needed. This randomized controlled trial will test the effect of an intervention aimed at enhancing social cognitive capacities (e.g., ability to take another's perspective), thereby making treatment of depression in youth more efficient and effective. Participants in the R33 (N=82) will be youth between ages 13- through 17-years-old currently experiencing depression. Youth will be randomized to either an enhanced CBT intervention that teaches social cognitive skills, particularly social perspective taking and theory of mind (CBTSCT) as compared to CBT only. The primary target is improvement in both social cognitive skills and depressive symptoms at post-treatment and at a 6-month follow-up.
Description
Depression in adolescents is a recurrent and impairing disorder. Although some treatments have shown modest effects in children and adolescents (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy - CBT), there remains a critical need to build upon these therapies to reach even more youths with depression. One variable hypothesized to affect children's interpersonal relationships is their level of social cognitive development on abilities particularly relevant to social functioning and CBT (e.g., social perspective taking; theory of mind). This RCT will test the efficacy of an intervention aimed at increasing…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 13–17 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Participants ages 13- through 17-years-old 2. Youth must have a diagnosis of a current depressive disorder (e.g., major depressive episode; persistent depressive disorder) or a score on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) \> 15 Exclusion Criteria: * ever met criteria for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism, or conduct disorder * current alcohol or substance use disorder with significant impairment * imminent risk of suicide * reading level \< 4th grade
Interventions
- BehavioralCognitive behavioral therapy plus social cognitive training (CBTSCT)
The study has two intervention arms to which depressed adolescents will be randomized: (1) CBTSCT is cognitive behavioral therapy enhanced with training in social cognitive abilities (e.g., social perspective taking), and (2) CBT only is cognitive behavioral therapy without the additional social cognitive training component.
Location
- Judy GarberNashville, Tennessee