DepressionNCT03056963
Guided Imagery Training and Self-Referential Processing
A study testing Positive Self-Reference Training in people with Depression and Negative Thoughts, run by University of Texas at Austin at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of a guided imagery paradigm for reducing negative ways of thinking about the self. There will be at least 60 participants enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 45 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Depression, Negative Thoughts
- What is being tested?
- Positive Self-Reference Training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 86 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 17 Mar 2017to 19 Jun 2017
- 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 45 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- willing and able to provide informed consent
- elevated depressive symptoms -- i.e., a score above a 13 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD)
Who cannot join
- N/A
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of a guided imagery paradigm for reducing negative ways of thinking about the self. There will be at least 60 participants enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin. Participants will be randomly selected to receive one of two types of trainings, each over the course of two weeks. Participants will undergo the training exercises at home. The training exercises will help them to think differently about themselves.
Participants will be able to determine if they are eligible, and then participate, by filling out a screening questionnaire online.
Read the detailed description
This study uses a randomized controlled trial to compare two types of guided imagery. One intervention is an active intervention; the other is intended to be inert. These interventions were developed based on extensive research indicating the efficacy of using imagery in depression, and a perceived lack of treatments targeting biased self-referential processing.
This protocol aims to develop a novel intervention which can be used on its own or as an adjunct to existing treatments. Common treatments for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are diffuse; this paradigm instead aims to specifically target negative self-schema, a part of the cognitive model of MDD. This study focuses on participants with elevated depressive symptoms.
- Conditions
- Depression, Negative Thoughts
- Being tested
- Positive Self-Reference Training, Neutral Training Control
- Keywords
- Guided Imagery
- Medical subject headings
- Depression
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Positive Self-Reference TrainingBehavioural
Participants in this intervention will review a brief psychoeducational video describing the training, and then be given cues every other day designed to practice skills. Participants will then practice visualizing and describing scenes based on these cues. This training will be focused on positive self-referent material.
Neutral Training ControlBehavioural
Participants in this intervention will review a brief psychoeducational video describing the training, and then be given cues every other day designed to practice skills. Participants will then practice visualizing and describing scenes based on these cues. This training will be focused on neutral, non-self-referent material.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Positive Self-Reference Training | Experimental | Participants in this arm will complete the Positive Self-Reference Training (PSRT). Receives: Behavioral: Positive Self-Reference Training |
| Neutral Training Control | Placebo comparator | Participants in this arm will complete the neutral training paradigm. Receives: Behavioral: Neutral Training Control |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in response on the Self-Referent Encoding Task (SRET)
The SRET is a task that asks participants to categorize words as self-referential or not. Its outcomes are focused on behavioral response and reaction time. We have shown that it has good test-retest reliability over the course of one week.
Measured: Participants will complete the SRET at baseline, after one week, and after two weeks. Change will be assessed primarily as SRET at two weeks MINUS SRET at baseline.
Secondary outcomes (1)
Depressive Symptomatology
Measures of depressive symptoms will be measured with the CESD, a self-report questionnaire used in the literature to measure levels of depression. This questionnaire has good test-retest reliability, and reliably changes with symptoms.
Measured: Participants will complete measures of depressive symptoms at baseline, after one week, and after two weeks.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted17 Feb 2017
- Study start17 Mar 2017
- Primary completion19 Jun 2017
- Study completion19 Jun 2017
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for DepressionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 86 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Texas at Austin
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Justin Dainer-Best, Principal investigator, University of Texas at Austin
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03056963
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UTEXAS-2016-07-0080
- Status last verified
- Jul 2017
- First submitted
- 10 Feb 2017
- Last updated
- 19 Jul 2017
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 Jul 2017. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Guided Imagery Training and Self-Referential Processing
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03056963
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UTEXAS-2016-07-0080
- Conditions
- Depression, Negative Thoughts
- Keywords
- Guided Imagery
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 86 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Texas at AustinUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 17 Mar 2017 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 19 Jun 2017 (actual)
- Study completion
- 19 Jun 2017 (actual)
- First posted
- 17 Feb 2017 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of a guided imagery paradigm for reducing negative ways of thinking about the self. There will be at least 60 participants enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin. Participants will be randomly selected to receive one of two types of trainings, each over the course of two weeks. Participants will undergo the training exercises at home. The training exercises will help them to think differently about themselves.
Participants will be able to determine if they are eligible, and then participate, by filling out a screening questionnaire online.
Detailed description
This study uses a randomized controlled trial to compare two types of guided imagery. One intervention is an active intervention; the other is intended to be inert. These interventions were developed based on extensive research indicating the efficacy of using imagery in depression, and a perceived lack of treatments targeting biased self-referential processing.
This protocol aims to develop a novel intervention which can be used on its own or as an adjunct to existing treatments. Common treatments for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are diffuse; this paradigm instead aims to specifically target negative self-schema, a part of the cognitive model of MDD. This study focuses on participants with elevated depressive symptoms.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Positive Self-Reference Training | Experimental | Behavioral: Positive Self-Reference TrainingParticipants in this arm will complete the Positive Self-Reference Training (PSRT). |
| Neutral Training Control | Placebo comparator | Behavioral: Neutral Training ControlParticipants in this arm will complete the neutral training paradigm. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 45 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- willing and able to provide informed consent
- elevated depressive symptoms -- i.e., a score above a 13 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD)
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- N/A
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Positive Self-Reference TrainingParticipants in this intervention will review a brief psychoeducational video describing the training, and then be given cues every other day designed to practice skills. Participants will then practice visualizing and describing scenes based on these cues. This training will be focused on positive self-referent material. | Behavioural | Positive Self-Reference Training |
| Neutral Training ControlParticipants in this intervention will review a brief psychoeducational video describing the training, and then be given cues every other day designed to practice skills. Participants will then practice visualizing and describing scenes based on these cues. This training will be focused on neutral, non-self-referent material. | Behavioural | Neutral Training Control |
Primary outcome
Change in response on the Self-Referent Encoding Task (SRET)
Time frame: Participants will complete the SRET at baseline, after one week, and after two weeks. Change will be assessed primarily as SRET at two weeks MINUS SRET at baseline.
The SRET is a task that asks participants to categorize words as self-referential or not. Its outcomes are focused on behavioral response and reaction time. We have shown that it has good test-retest reliability over the course of one week.
1 secondary outcome
Depressive Symptomatology
Time frame: Participants will complete measures of depressive symptoms at baseline, after one week, and after two weeks.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 19 Jul 2017.
- Screening QuestionnaireLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Justin Dainer-Best principal investigator
University of Texas at Austin
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Positive Self-Reference Training in people with Depression and Negative Thoughts, run by University of Texas at Austin at 1 site in United States.
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 2 inclusion and 1 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 19 Jul 2017. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. 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. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. 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?
Change in response on the Self-Referent Encoding Task (SRET) (time frame: Participants will complete the SRET at baseline, after one week, and after two weeks. Change will be assessed primarily as SRET at two weeks MINUS SRET at baseline.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 19 Jul 2017; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 29 Oct 2026.