DepressionNCT06245096
Evaluating Process of Change in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Depression
A study testing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in people with Depression, run by University of Southern California at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study will compare two psychological treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD): cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Both treatments are well-studied and supported by evidence as effective options for people experiencing depression. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Depression
- What is being tested?
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 116 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 14 Feb 2024to 29 Apr 2026
- 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 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) according to DSM-V criteria (APA, 2013)
- 18 years of age or older
- access to a private location with a stable internet connection and a working video camera
- lives in California
- able to understand and speak English
- able and willing to give informed consent
Who cannot join
- current diagnosis other than MDD if it constitutes the predominant aspect of the clinical presentation and if it requires treatment other than that being offered
- clear indication of secondary gain (e.g., court ordered treatment)
- current suicide risk or significant intentional self-harm in the last six months sufficient to preclude treatment on an outpatient basis.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, 90007
About this study
Official title: Researching and Improving Psychotherapy Techniques in Interventions for DEpression (RIPTIDE)
This study will compare two psychological treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD): cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Both treatments are well-studied and supported by evidence as effective options for people experiencing depression. These treatments will be delivered in an online group format via Zoom.
The study will enroll up to 100 participants with depression. Half of the participants will receive online group CBT and half will receive online group ACT. There will be up to 10 members in each group. For both conditions, treatment will be provided over 8 weeks, with a 6-month follow-up period. Enrollment will be ongoing and groups will occur simultaneously.
Potential participants are asked to complete an initial screening and an intake evaluation to determine eligibility. They will then receive 8-weeks of treatment. Participants will complete self-report questionnaires throughout their time in the study.
Read the detailed description
Some of the most powerful tools to combat depression come in the form of psychotherapies, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). While both treatments have been found to be generally effective in treating depression, they take fundamentally different treatment approaches. In CBT, clients learn techniques to challenge and change maladaptive thought and behavioral patterns. In ACT, clients learn techniques to accept their negative internal experiences and commit to action in line with their values. Despite being among the most effective treatments for depression, both CBT and ACT have a response rate of about only 50%. It is believe there are two key reasons investigators have not been able to improve these response rates. First, very little is known about which specific therapeutic skills are effective in these treatment packages. For example, do cognitive or behavioral change skills lead to therapeutic change in CBT? In ACT, do acceptance or change skills lead to therapeutic change? Second, it is not known which specific treatments or therapeutic skills work better for different individuals. Every individual has diverse needs, and therefore individuals may benefit differently from different treatment packages or from specific skills within each package.
Therefore, investigators plan to run a randomized controlled trial comparing CBT and ACT for depression in order to investigate which specific therapeutic skills are effective in these treatment packages. This approach will also allow investigators to identify predictors of differential response to treatment packages and specific treatment skills.
Upon joining the study, participants are asked to complete surveys for one week prior to starting treatment and again for one week once treatment is completed. During treatment, they are asked to complete surveys throughout the 8 weeks of therapy. Following the 8-week treatment, participants are asked to complete monthly follow-up surveys for 6 months.
There are three main objectives in this study. The first is to compare processes of change across the two treatments (i.e., what works in specific treatments?). The second is to determine client variables that predict differential treatment response (i.e., which treatment works best for a given client?). The third is to evaluate potential moderators of differential response to any specific skills across the treatments (i.e., which specific therapy skill works best for a given client?)
- Conditions
- Depression
- Being tested
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Medical subject headings
- Depression
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Cognitive Behavioral TherapyBehavioural
Sessions will focus on skills such as behavioral activation, mood tracking, identifying and reframing automatic thoughts, assertion training and smart goals.
Acceptance and Commitment TherapyBehavioural
Sessions will focus on skills such as mindfulness, acceptance and willingness training, values clarification, committed action, defusion, and self-as-context.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | Active comparator | Over 8 sessions, clients learn techniques to challenge and change maladaptive thought and behavioral patterns Receives: Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy |
| Acceptance and Commitment Therapy | Active comparator | Over 8 sessions, clients learn techniques to accept their negative internal experiences and commit to action in line with their values Receives: Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Chain of Change Treatment Diary (ChaCha-TD)
The ChaCha-TD designed by our research group assesses participants' affect, symptoms, quality of life, significant life events, skills use, and mechanisms of treatment change in daily life.
Measured: Three days per week during the eight-week course of treatment at 8 p.m. on preselected days.
Secondary outcomes (15)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7)
The GAD-7 (Spitzer et al., 2006) is a seven-item self-report measure of anxiety symptom severity.
Measured: Intake, Post-treatment (8 weeks)
WHO Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF)
The WHOQOL-BREF (WHOQOL Group; 1998) is a 26-item self-report measure that evaluates four dimensions of quality of life (physical health, psychological health, social relationships, environment. Each item ranges from 1-5 and items are summed upon completing the measure. Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction with quality of life.
Measured: Intake, Post-treatment (8-weeks), and follow-up (6-months)
Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)
The PANAS (Watson et al., 1988) is a 20-item scale that assesses the extent to which participants are experiencing different positive and negative emotions in the present moment. 10-items assess positive emotions and 10-items assess negative emotions. Items range from 1-5 and are summed based on the valence of the emotion. Higher scores indicate more salient experiences of affect.
Measured: Intake, Post-treatment (8-weeks), and follow-up (6-months)
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
The PHQ-9 (Kroenke et al., 2001) is a 9-item self-report scale that measures depressive symptom severity. Each item ranges from 0-3 and items are summed upon completing the measures. Higher scores indicate greater depression symptom severity.
Measured: Intake, Post-treatment (8-weeks), and follow-up (6-months)
Discrimination-Related Vigilance Scale (DRVS)
The DRVS (Williams, unpublished; and first published by Clark et al., 2006) is a 6-item measure of heightened vigilance in response to experiences of racial discrimination. This scale will be asked as a follow-up to the Brief PEDQ- CV to assess the extent to which the client is vigilant in their surroundings because of previous discrimination they experienced.
Measured: Intake, Post-treatment (8-weeks)
Valuing Questionnaire (VQ)
The VQ (Smout et al., 2014) is a 10-item self-report measure that assesses the extent of personal values enactment during the past week.
Measured: Intake, Post-treatment (8 weeks)
Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ)
The ATQ (adapted from Hollon \& Kendall, 1980) is a 30- item self-report checklist measure of common automatic thoughts participants may or may not have experienced in the past two weeks.
Measured: Intake, Post-treatment (8 weeks)
Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ)
The ERQ (Gross \& John, 2003) is a 10-item self-report measure of two emotion regulation strategies, cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression.
Measured: Intake, Post-treatment (8 weeks)
Positive Valence Systems Scale (PVSS-21)
The PVSS-21 (Khazanov et al,. 2020 ) is a self-report scale assessing the National Institute of Mental Health Research Domain Criteria Positive Valence Systems constructs (e.g., reward anticipation and initial reward responsiveness).
Measured: Intake, Post-treatment (8 weeks)
Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS)
The MSPSS (Zimet et al., 1988) is a 12-item measure of perceived adequacy of social support from family, friends, and significant others.
Measured: Intake, Post-treatment (8 weeks)
Group Session Rating Scale (GSRS)
The GSRS (Quirk et al., 2013) is a client-reported measure that assesses alliance, the quality of individual sessions, and helper skills.
Measured: Once per week for each session.
Drexel University ACT/CT Adherence and Competence Rating Scale (DUACRS)
The DUACRS (McGrath, 2012) is a therapist-reported measure designed to assess adherence to CBT and ACT treatment components. While the original measure was designed to assess the extent to which each of these components occurred at every 5-minute interval during a session, we slightly adapted the response options to indicate whether the treatment components occurred at all in the relevant session.
Measured: Once per week for each session.
California Psychotherapy Alliance Scale-Group- Therapist Version (CALPAS- G-TV)
The CALPAS-G-TV (Gaston \& Marmar, 1994) is a therapist- report measure of the therapeutic alliance in group psychotherapy settings.
Measured: Once per week for each session.
Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI)
The CGI (Guy, 1976) is a standard therapist-reported measure for making global assessments of clients' illness and improvement.
Measured: Once per week for each session.
Chain of Change Ecological Momentary Assessment (ChaCha-EMA)
The ChaCha-EMA consists of the same items assessed in the ChaCha-TD with the exception that questions will be phrased to assess clients' experiences at the moment of survey completion.
Measured: Three times per day for the seven days pre- and seven days post-treatment.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Feb 2024
- Study start14 Feb 2024
- Primary completion3 Nov 2025
- Study completion29 Apr 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for DepressionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of Southern CaliforniaThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- 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
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 116 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Southern California
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Iony Ezawa, University of Southern California
- Investigators
- Iony D Ezawa, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Southern California
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06245096
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UP-23-01077
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Jan 2024
- Last updated
- 19 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Dao A, Bernstein RA, Ramos FN, Beasley B, Ezawa ID. Unpacking the chain of change in group CBT and ACT for depression: A protocol for a randomized clinical trial. Contemp Clin Trials. 2025 Jun;153:107907. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2025.107907. Epub 2025 Apr 2.
PubMed 40185199
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Researching and Improving Psychotherapy Techniques in Interventions for DEpression (RIPTIDE)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06245096
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UP-23-01077
- Conditions
- Depression
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 116 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 14 Feb 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 3 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 29 Apr 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 7 Feb 2024 (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.
This study will compare two psychological treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD): cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Both treatments are well-studied and supported by evidence as effective options for people experiencing depression. These treatments will be delivered in an online group format via Zoom.
The study will enroll up to 100 participants with depression. Half of the participants will receive online group CBT and half will receive online group ACT. There will be up to 10 members in each group. For both conditions, treatment will be provided over 8 weeks, with a 6-month follow-up period. Enrollment will be ongoing and groups will occur simultaneously.
Potential participants are asked to complete an initial screening and an intake evaluation to determine eligibility. They will then receive 8-weeks of treatment. Participants will complete self-report questionnaires throughout their time in the study.
Detailed description
Some of the most powerful tools to combat depression come in the form of psychotherapies, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). While both treatments have been found to be generally effective in treating depression, they take fundamentally different treatment approaches. In CBT, clients learn techniques to challenge and change maladaptive thought and behavioral patterns. In ACT, clients learn techniques to accept their negative internal experiences and commit to action in line with their values. Despite being among the most effective treatments for depression, both CBT and ACT have a response rate of about only 50%. It is believe there are two key reasons investigators have not been able to improve these response rates. First, very little is known about which specific therapeutic skills are effective in these treatment packages. For example, do cognitive or behavioral change skills lead to therapeutic change in CBT? In ACT, do acceptance or change skills lead to therapeutic change? Second, it is not known which specific treatments or therapeutic skills work better for different individuals. Every individual has diverse needs, and therefore individuals may benefit differently from different treatment packages or from specific skills within each package.
Therefore, investigators plan to run a randomized controlled trial comparing CBT and ACT for depression in order to investigate which specific therapeutic skills are effective in these treatment packages. This approach will also allow investigators to identify predictors of differential response to treatment packages and specific treatment skills.
Upon joining the study, participants are asked to complete surveys for one week prior to starting treatment and again for one week once treatment is completed. During treatment, they are asked to complete surveys throughout the 8 weeks of therapy. Following the 8-week treatment, participants are asked to complete monthly follow-up surveys for 6 months.
There are three main objectives in this study. The first is to compare processes of change across the two treatments (i.e., what works in specific treatments?). The second is to determine client variables that predict differential treatment response (i.e., which treatment works best for a given client?). The third is to evaluate potential moderators of differential response to any specific skills across the treatments (i.e., which specific therapy skill works best for a given client?)
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | Active comparator | Behavioral: Cognitive Behavioral TherapyOver 8 sessions, clients learn techniques to challenge and change maladaptive thought and behavioral patterns |
| Acceptance and Commitment Therapy | Active comparator | Behavioral: Acceptance and Commitment TherapyOver 8 sessions, clients learn techniques to accept their negative internal experiences and commit to action in line with their values |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) according to DSM-V criteria (APA, 2013)
- 18 years of age or older
- access to a private location with a stable internet connection and a working video camera
- lives in California
- able to understand and speak English
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- current diagnosis other than MDD if it constitutes the predominant aspect of the clinical presentation and if it requires treatment other than that being offered
- clear indication of secondary gain (e.g., court ordered treatment)
- current suicide risk or significant intentional self-harm in the last six months sufficient to preclude treatment on an outpatient basis.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive Behavioral TherapySessions will focus on skills such as behavioral activation, mood tracking, identifying and reframing automatic thoughts, assertion training and smart goals. | Behavioural | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy |
| Acceptance and Commitment TherapySessions will focus on skills such as mindfulness, acceptance and willingness training, values clarification, committed action, defusion, and self-as-context. | Behavioural | Acceptance and Commitment Therapy |
Primary outcome
Chain of Change Treatment Diary (ChaCha-TD)
Time frame: Three days per week during the eight-week course of treatment at 8 p.m. on preselected days.
The ChaCha-TD designed by our research group assesses participants' affect, symptoms, quality of life, significant life events, skills use, and mechanisms of treatment change in daily life.
15 secondary outcomes
Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7)
Time frame: Intake, Post-treatment (8 weeks)
WHO Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF)
Time frame: Intake, Post-treatment (8-weeks), and follow-up (6-months)
Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS)
Time frame: Intake, Post-treatment (8-weeks), and follow-up (6-months)
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
Time frame: Intake, Post-treatment (8-weeks), and follow-up (6-months)
Discrimination-Related Vigilance Scale (DRVS)
Time frame: Intake, Post-treatment (8-weeks)
Valuing Questionnaire (VQ)
Time frame: Intake, Post-treatment (8 weeks)
Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ)
Time frame: Intake, Post-treatment (8 weeks)
Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ)
Time frame: Intake, Post-treatment (8 weeks)
Positive Valence Systems Scale (PVSS-21)
Time frame: Intake, Post-treatment (8 weeks)
Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS)
Time frame: Intake, Post-treatment (8 weeks)
Group Session Rating Scale (GSRS)
Time frame: Once per week for each session.
Drexel University ACT/CT Adherence and Competence Rating Scale (DUACRS)
Time frame: Once per week for each session.
California Psychotherapy Alliance Scale-Group- Therapist Version (CALPAS- G-TV)
Time frame: Once per week for each session.
Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI)
Time frame: Once per week for each session.
Chain of Change Ecological Momentary Assessment (ChaCha-EMA)
Time frame: Three times per day for the seven days pre- and seven days post-treatment.
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 May 2026.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 40185199Dao A, Bernstein RA, Ramos FN, Beasley B, Ezawa ID. Unpacking the chain of change in group CBT and ACT for depression: A protocol for a randomized clinical trial. Contemp Clin Trials. 2025 Jun;153:107907. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2025.107907. Epub 2025 Apr 2.
- 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.
Iony D Ezawa, PhD principal investigator
University of Southern California
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in people with Depression, run by University of Southern California 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 6 inclusion and 3 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 May 2026. 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. 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?
Chain of Change Treatment Diary (ChaCha-TD) (time frame: Three days per week during the eight-week course of treatment at 8 p.m. on preselected days.). 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 NCT06245096, which also lists 1 linked publication.
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 May 2026.