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Depression, UnipolarTRACT-RCTNCT02954731

Trans-diagnostic Group CBT vs. Standard Group CBT for Depression, Social Anxiety and Agoraphobia/Panic Disorder

A study testing UP-CBT and Standard-CBT in people with Depression, Unipolar and Anxiety Disorder Social, run by Psychiatric Research Unit, Region Zealand, Denmark at 4 sites in Denmark.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) delivered in the individual format, have been proven just as effective as traditional diagnosis specific CBT manuals. The investigators have translated and modified the "The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders" (UP-CBT) to make it… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 64 years
What is being tested?
UP-CBT and Standard-CBT
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
292 participants
Where
4 sitesDenmark
Study dates
Dec 2016to 11 Dec 2019
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 64 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Referred to Danish Mental Health Service
  • a principal DSM-5 diagnosis of Unipolar Depression (single episode or recurrent)(app. 50%), Social Anxiety Disorder (app. 25%), and Agoraphobia/Panic Disorder (app 25%)
  • the patient is currently not using any antidepressants or use accepted antidepressants (according to predefined list), which have been unchanged for at least 4 weeks before inclusion and no change in antidepressants is anticipated,
  • sufficient knowledge of the Danish language.

Who cannot join

  • risk of suicide is high according to clinicians or assessment researchers
  • alcohol or drug dependence,
  • cluster A or B (DSM-5) personality disorder diagnosed by intake clinicians or assessment researcher,
  • co-morbidity of pervasive developmental disorder, psychotic disorders, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, or severe physical illness,
  • psychopharmacological treatment other than those predefined as acceptable,
  • patient does not accept to stop the use of anxiolytics within the first four weeks of intervention.

Trial locations and contacts

4 sites in 1 country.

Denmark4 sites
  • Psychotherapeutic Unit, Mental Health Centre Copenhagen

    Copenhagen, Capital Region, 2200

  • Outpatient Clinic for Anxiety and Personality Disorders

    Risskov, Central Region, 8240

  • Outpatient Clinic for Mania and Depression

    Risskov, Central Region, 8240

  • Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic

    Slagelse, Region Sjælland, 4200

Other trials in Denmark

About this study

Official title: Trans-diagnostic Group CBT vs. Standard Group CBT for Depression, Social Anxiety and Agoraphobia/Panic Disorder: A Pragmatic, Multicenter Non-inferiority Randomized Controlled Trial

Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) delivered in the individual format, have been proven just as effective as traditional diagnosis specific CBT manuals. The investigators have translated and modified the "The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders" (UP-CBT) to make it applicable as group therapy in Danish Mental Health Service and a naturalistic trial of this manual has shown promising results. As the use of one manual instead of several diagnosis specific manuals in regional clinics could simplify logistics and reduce waiting time, the investigators want to compare group UP-CBT with diagnosis specific group CBT.

Method: A partial blinded, pragmatic, non-inferiority, multicentre randomized clinical trial (RCT). UP-CBT is compared to treatment-as-usual CT. 124 patients are included in each intervention arm, recruited from three Danish regional Mental Health Service Clinics. 31st July 2018 suppl: Inclusion number expanded to 170 in each arm due to unexpected large drop-out.

Read the detailed description

Background: Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TCBT) Manuals delivered in individual format, have been reported to be just as effective as traditional diagnosis specific CBT manuals. The investigators have translated and modified the "The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders" (UP-CBT) developed by Barlow and colleagues for use in Mental Health Service (MHS), and shown effects comparable to traditional CBT in a naturalistic trial. As the use of one manual instead of several diagnosis-specific manuals could simplify logistics, reduce waiting time, and increase therapist expertise compared to diagnosis specific CBT, the study aim to test the relative efficacy of group UP-CBT and diagnosis specific group CBT.

Methods/design: It is a partially blinded, pragmatic, non-inferiority, parallel, multi-center randomized controlled trial (RCT) of UP-CBT vs diagnosis specific CBT for depression, social anxiety disorder and agoraphobia/panic disorder. In both arms, the intervention consists of weekly group session for 14 weeks. In total, 248 patients are recruited from three regional MHS centers across the country and included in two intervention arms.31st July 2018 suppl: Inclusion number expanded to 340 due to unexpected large drop-out.

Outcomes are measured at end of therapy and at 6 months follow-up. Weekly patient-rated outcomes and group evaluations are collected for every session. Outcome assessors, blind to delivered intervention, will perform the observer-based symptom ratings, and fidelity assessors will monitor manual adherence.

Discussion: The current study will be the first RCT investigating the dissemination of the UP in a MHS setting and UP delivered in groups and including patients with depression. Hence the results are expected to add substantially to the evidence base for rational group psychotherapy in MHS. The planned moderator and mediator analyses could spur new hypotheses about mechanisms of change in psychotherapy and the association between patient characteristics and treatment effect.

Being tested
UP-CBT, Standard-CBT
Keywords
Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Negative Affect, Unified Protocol, Session Tracking, Mechanisms of Change in Psychotherapy
Medical subject headings
Depressive Disorder, Phobia, Social, Panic Disorder

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • UP-CBTBehavioural

    Psychotherapy in groups based on the "Unified Protocol" a third generation CBT-type psychotherapy

  • Standard-CBTBehavioural

    Psychotherapy in groups based on diagnosis specific, manualized, cognitive behavior therapy

Study groups in NCT02954731
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
UP-CBTExperimentalThe "Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders" (UP) is one of the most widely studied transdiagnostic manuals. Here, the investigators apply a group manual that has been modified from the published UP for individual therapy based on recommendations on group delivery from the UP Institute (personal communications) and integrations modifications necessary for the delivery in the Mental Health Service. Group UP-CBT, consist of 8 treatment modules delivered in 14 group sessions given weekly in 2 hour sessions.
Receives: Behavioral: UP-CBT
Standard-CBTActive comparatorGroup CBT following Danish versions of diagnosis specific manuals (Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) Group; Depression (DEP) Group; Agoraphobia/Panic Disorder (Ag/PD) (standard-CBT). The original elements of psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, and exposure/activity scheduling are present in the applied manuals. Standard-CBT, consist of 8 treatment modules delivered in 14 group sessions given weekly in 2 hour sessions.
Receives: Behavioral: Standard-CBT

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. WHO Well-Being Index (WHO-5)

    Self-rating questionnaire, 5 items on positive quality of life, web-based

    Measured: Week 19 after allocation

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. Hopkins Symptom Check List (SCL-25)

    Validated questionnaire - web-based

    Measured: Week 19 after allocation

  2. Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS)

    Validated questionnaire - web-based

    Measured: Week 19 after allocation

  3. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS)

    6-item HDRS based on telephone interview

    Measured: Week 19 after allocation

  4. Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS)

    6-item HARS based on telephone interview

    Measured: Week 19 after allocation

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted3 Nov 2016 (estimated)
  2. Study startDec 2016
  3. Primary completion11 Apr 2019
  4. Study completion11 Dec 2019

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
292 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02954731
Sponsor's protocol ID
SA005
Acronym
TRACT-RCT
Status last verified
Sep 2020
First submitted
25 Oct 2016
Last updated
16 Sep 2020
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
Individual data sharing
No: The datasets generated by the planned study will not be publicly available due to the rules of the Danish Data Protection Agency, but will be available from the corresponding author, after publication, on reasonable request and following signed confidentiality agreement with PI and the Danish Data Protection Agency Region Zealand.

Publications

  • Reinholt N, Aharoni R, Winding C, Rosenberg N, Rosenbaum B, Arnfred S. Transdiagnostic group CBT for anxiety disorders: the unified protocol in mental health services. Cogn Behav Ther. 2017 Jan;46(1):29-43. doi: 10.1080/16506073.2016.1227360. Epub 2016 Oct 5.

    PubMed 27705086
  • Reinholt N, Krogh J. Efficacy of transdiagnostic cognitive behaviour therapy for anxiety disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of published outcome studies. Cogn Behav Ther. 2014;43(3):171-84. doi: 10.1080/16506073.2014.897367. Epub 2014 Mar 19.

    PubMed 24646219
  • Farchione TJ, Fairholme CP, Ellard KK, Boisseau CL, Thompson-Hollands J, Carl JR, Gallagher MW, Barlow DH. Unified protocol for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders: a randomized controlled trial. Behav Ther. 2012 Sep;43(3):666-78. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2012.01.001. Epub 2012 Jan 18.

    PubMed 22697453
  • Wilamowska ZA, Thompson-Hollands J, Fairholme CP, Ellard KK, Farchione TJ, Barlow DH. Conceptual background, development, and preliminary data from the unified protocol for transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders. Depress Anxiety. 2010 Oct;27(10):882-90. doi: 10.1002/da.20735.

    PubMed 20886609
  • Niemeijer M, Reinholt N, Poulsen S, Bach B, Christensen AB, Eskildsen A, Hvenegaard M, Arendt M, Arnfred S. Trait and symptom change in group cognitive behaviour therapy for anxiety and depression. Clin Psychol Psychother. 2023 Sep-Oct;30(5):1058-1070. doi: 10.1002/cpp.2857. Epub 2023 Apr 27.

    PubMed 37106559
  • Arnfred SM, Aharoni R, Hvenegaard M, Poulsen S, Bach B, Arendt M, Rosenberg NK, Reinholt N. Transdiagnostic group CBT vs. standard group CBT for depression, social anxiety disorder and agoraphobia/panic disorder: Study protocol for a pragmatic, multicenter non-inferiority randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry. 2017 Jan 23;17(1):37. doi: 10.1186/s12888-016-1175-0.

    PubMed 28114915

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing UP-CBT and Standard-CBT in people with Depression, Unipolar and Anxiety Disorder Social, run by Psychiatric Research Unit, Region Zealand, Denmark at 4 sites in Denmark.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 16 Sep 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 4 sites in Denmark. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

WHO Well-Being Index (WHO-5) (time frame: Week 19 after allocation). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02954731, which also lists 6 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 16 Sep 2020.

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