Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)NCT07748845
Gottman Couple Therapy Program in Treatment of Depressed Female Partners
A study testing Gottman couple therapy and treatment as usual for depression in people with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Female, run by Tanta University at 1 site in Egypt.
Trial summary
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Gottman couple therapy program targeted for discordant couples struggling with the negative impact of depression of the female partner and compare between the outcome in case of usual treatment of depression and the outcome with applying Gottman program added to the usual… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 20 to 60 years, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Female
- What is being tested?
- Gottman couple therapy and treatment as usual for depression
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEgypt
- Study dates
- 30 Apr 2023to 30 Dec 2024
- 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 20 to 60 years
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Age of partners: between 20 and 60 years
- Married for at least 1 year.
- Female partners meet the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder with a score of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale above 7
- Discordant couples, as indicated by a score of 45 or lower on ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale.
- Commitment to participate in the therapy sessions.
Who cannot join
- Male partners who meet the diagnostic criteria for a depressive disorder.
- Co-morbid psychiatric illness for any partner
- Couples if one or both disclosed an act of infidelity or more than two acts of physical aggression in the preceding 3 months.
- Couples on the verge of divorce
- Co-morbid serious medical or neurological disorder (stroke, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, ..etc)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: A Study on Gottman Couple Therapy Program in Treatment of Depressed Female Partners
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Gottman couple therapy program targeted for discordant couples struggling with the negative impact of depression of the female partner and compare between the outcome in case of usual treatment of depression and the outcome with applying Gottman program added to the usual treatment of depression in the female partner.
Read the detailed description
Major Depressive Disorder is the world's leading cause of medical disability , and is associated with costs exceeding $219 billion in the United States each year .
The association between marital discord and depression is well-established, and a large body of work now supports the bi-directional nature of this relationship. That is, marital distress plays a crucial role in the etiology and maintenance of depression. Moreover, the impact of one partner's depression on couple functioning can be profound and prolonged.
About two-thirds of the people seeking individual treatment for depression report significant relationship distress. This holds true for primary care, for psychotherapy practice irrespective of the treatment model, and for couple and family therapy as well . In the caseload of family therapists, depressive disorders are the second most common presenting problem after couple difficulties .
Once MDD is present, supportive interpersonal relationships are highly important for recovery. For instance, relationship functioning is not always improved following individual treatments for depression, even if the disorder itself remits .
Spouses of depressed individuals may be living with the disability for many years and may be unaware or misinformed about how to support the depressed person. Given that depression and relationship distress reciprocally influence each other, researchers have focused on couple-based treatment approaches to change maladaptive relationship patterns as a way to alleviate depression. Although couple therapy most often aims to reduce overall relationship distress, couple-based interventions have also been developed to treat couples in which one or both partners struggle with impairing individual emotional or behavioral disorders .
Couple therapy, by focusing on the interpersonal context of depression, might be more effective as a treatment for depression than individual psychotherapy or drug therapy. It has the twofold aim of modifying negative interaction patterns and increasing mutually supportive aspects of intimate relationships, changing the interpersonal context of depression.
Specific models of couple therapy for depression have been developed, including behavioral therapies, later integrated with cognitive approaches, systemic models and emotion-focused therapy, based on attachment theory. In recent years, a trend toward integration has become evident, as in other fields of psychotherapy . It has been suggested that, despite different theoretical orientations, effective models of couple therapy share a set of common principles: (a) altering the couple's view of the presenting problem to be contextualized and dyadic; (b) decreasing emotion-driven, dysfunctional behavior; (c) eliciting emotion-based, avoided, private behavior; (d) increasing constructive communication patterns; and (e) emphasizing strengths and reinforcing gains .
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Gottman couple therapy program targeted for discordant couples struggling with the negative impact of depression of the female partner and compare between the outcome in case of usual treatment of depression and the outcome with applying Gottman program added to the usual treatment of depression in the female partner.
- Conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Female
- Being tested
- Gottman couple therapy, treatment as usual for depression
- Keywords
- Gottman couple Therapy, female partners, Major Depressive Disorder
- Medical subject headings
- Depressive Disorder, Major
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Gottman couple therapyOther
Gottman Method for Couple Therapy is based on "sound relationship house" theory that proposes seven relational processes:
- Build love maps. A love map is a road map of one's partner's inner world, built by asking open-ended questions.
- Build the fondness and admiration system by expressing affection and respect in small, everyday moments.
- Turn toward instead of away or against by noticing and responding to a partner's bids for emotional connection.
- Allow positive sentiment override, which results in not taking negative partner actions personally, or give the partner the benefit of the doubt.
- Take a two-pronged approach toward managing conflict by (a) using a gentle approach in presenting complaints, accepting influence, physiological soothing, and compromise, and (b) establishing a dialogue with perpetual problems that examines and honors the existential dreams of both partners within the conflict.
- Honor one another's individual, and perhaps unshared, life dreams.
treatment as usual for depressionOther
Group 2: undergo treatment as usual for depression
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1: receive Gottman couple therapy program | Experimental | Group 1: receive Gottman couple therapy program with their partners, in addition to the usual treatment of depression Receives: Other: Gottman couple therapy |
| Group 2: undergo treatment as usual for depression. | Placebo comparator | Group 2: will undergo treatment as usual for depression. Receives: Other: treatment as usual for depression |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
severity of depression by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale
Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS):
The questionnaire is designed for adults and is used to rate severity of depression by probing mood, feeling of guilt, suicidal ideation, insomnia, agitation or retardation, anxiety, weight loss and somatic symptoms.
Eight items are scored on a 5-point scale, ranging from 0 = not present to 4 = severe. Nine items are scored from 0-2. The total score was calculated by summation of the first seventeen items. The severity of depression was divided into 4 categories as follows: 0- 7are considered as normal patients, 8-16 suggesting mild depression, 17-23 suggesting moderate depression and scores over 24 indicating severe depression.
Measured: 12 months
Secondary outcomes (1)
Satisfaction score by ENRICH marital satisfaction scale
The questionnaire, which measures satisfaction with marriage and quality of adjustment to it, is composed of 15 items, each on a Likert scale of 1 to 5. Strongly disagrees with (1), somewhat disagrees with (2), neither agrees with (3), moderately agrees with (4), and strongly agrees with (5). The total scores for responding to the questions ranged from 15 to 75, and they were divided into three categories: high satisfaction (scores between 57 and 75; over 75%), partial satisfaction (scores between 37 and 56; between 50 and 75%), and low satisfaction (scores below 37; less than 50%)
Measured: 12 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 Aug 2026
- Study start30 Apr 2023
- Primary completion30 May 2024
- Study completion30 Dec 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Tanta UniversityThe 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
- 40 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Tanta University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Asmaa Reda Elshazly, Tanta University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07748845
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 36264MD76/4/23
- Status last verified
- Apr 2023
- First submitted
- 31 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 6 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: It will be available if it needed
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Study on Gottman Couple Therapy Program in Treatment of Depressed Female Partners
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07748845
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 36264MD76/4/23
- Conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Female
- Keywords
- Gottman couple Therapy, female partners, Major Depressive Disorder
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Tanta UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 Apr 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 May 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Dec 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 6 Aug 2026 (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 aimed to evaluate the effect of Gottman couple therapy program targeted for discordant couples struggling with the negative impact of depression of the female partner and compare between the outcome in case of usual treatment of depression and the outcome with applying Gottman program added to the usual treatment of depression in the female partner.
Detailed description
Major Depressive Disorder is the world's leading cause of medical disability , and is associated with costs exceeding $219 billion in the United States each year .
The association between marital discord and depression is well-established, and a large body of work now supports the bi-directional nature of this relationship. That is, marital distress plays a crucial role in the etiology and maintenance of depression. Moreover, the impact of one partner's depression on couple functioning can be profound and prolonged.
About two-thirds of the people seeking individual treatment for depression report significant relationship distress. This holds true for primary care, for psychotherapy practice irrespective of the treatment model, and for couple and family therapy as well . In the caseload of family therapists, depressive disorders are the second most common presenting problem after couple difficulties .
Once MDD is present, supportive interpersonal relationships are highly important for recovery. For instance, relationship functioning is not always improved following individual treatments for depression, even if the disorder itself remits .
Spouses of depressed individuals may be living with the disability for many years and may be unaware or misinformed about how to support the depressed person. Given that depression and relationship distress reciprocally influence each other, researchers have focused on couple-based treatment approaches to change maladaptive relationship patterns as a way to alleviate depression. Although couple therapy most often aims to reduce overall relationship distress, couple-based interventions have also been developed to treat couples in which one or both partners struggle with impairing individual emotional or behavioral disorders .
Couple therapy, by focusing on the interpersonal context of depression, might be more effective as a treatment for depression than individual psychotherapy or drug therapy. It has the twofold aim of modifying negative interaction patterns and increasing mutually supportive aspects of intimate relationships, changing the interpersonal context of depression.
Specific models of couple therapy for depression have been developed, including behavioral therapies, later integrated with cognitive approaches, systemic models and emotion-focused therapy, based on attachment theory. In recent years, a trend toward integration has become evident, as in other fields of psychotherapy . It has been suggested that, despite different theoretical orientations, effective models of couple therapy share a set of common principles: (a) altering the couple's view of the presenting problem to be contextualized and dyadic; (b) decreasing emotion-driven, dysfunctional behavior; (c) eliciting emotion-based, avoided, private behavior; (d) increasing constructive communication patterns; and (e) emphasizing strengths and reinforcing gains .
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Gottman couple therapy program targeted for discordant couples struggling with the negative impact of depression of the female partner and compare between the outcome in case of usual treatment of depression and the outcome with applying Gottman program added to the usual treatment of depression in the female partner.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1: receive Gottman couple therapy program | Experimental | Other: Gottman couple therapyGroup 1: receive Gottman couple therapy program with their partners, in addition to the usual treatment of depression |
| Group 2: undergo treatment as usual for depression. | Placebo comparator | Other: treatment as usual for depressionGroup 2: will undergo treatment as usual for depression. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 20 to 60 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Age of partners: between 20 and 60 years
- Married for at least 1 year.
- Female partners meet the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder with a score of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale above 7
- Discordant couples, as indicated by a score of 45 or lower on ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale.
- Commitment to participate in the therapy sessions.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Male partners who meet the diagnostic criteria for a depressive disorder.
- Co-morbid psychiatric illness for any partner
- Couples if one or both disclosed an act of infidelity or more than two acts of physical aggression in the preceding 3 months.
- Couples on the verge of divorce
- Co-morbid serious medical or neurological disorder (stroke, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, ..etc)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Gottman couple therapyGottman Method for Couple Therapy is based on "sound relationship house" theory that proposes seven relational processes: 1. Build love maps. A love map is a road map of one's partner's inner world, built by asking open-ended questions. 2. Build the fondness and admiration system by expressing affection and respect in small, everyday moments. 3. Turn toward instead of away or against by noticing and responding to a partner's bids for emotional connection. 4. Allow positive sentiment override, which results in not taking negative partner actions personally, or give the partner the benefit of the doubt. 5. Take a two-pronged approach toward managing conflict by (a) using a gentle approach in presenting complaints, accepting influence, physiological soothing, and compromise, and (b) establishing a dialogue with perpetual problems that examines and honors the existential dreams of both partners within the conflict. 6. Honor one another's individual, and perhaps unshared, life dreams. | Other | Group 1: receive Gottman couple therapy program |
| treatment as usual for depressionGroup 2: undergo treatment as usual for depression | Other | Group 2: undergo treatment as usual for depression. |
Primary outcome
severity of depression by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale
Time frame: 12 months
Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS): The questionnaire is designed for adults and is used to rate severity of depression by probing mood, feeling of guilt, suicidal ideation, insomnia, agitation or retardation, anxiety, weight loss and somatic symptoms. Eight items are scored on a 5-point scale, ranging from 0 = not present to 4 = severe. Nine items are scored from 0-2. The total score was calculated by summation of the first seventeen items. The severity of depression was divided into 4 categories as follows: 0- 7are considered as normal patients, 8-16 suggesting mild depression, 17-23 suggesting moderate depression and scores over 24 indicating severe depression.
1 secondary outcome
Satisfaction score by ENRICH marital satisfaction scale
Time frame: 12 months
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 6 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. It will be available if it needed
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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.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Gottman couple therapy and treatment as usual for depression in people with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Female, run by Tanta University at 1 site in Egypt.
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 5 inclusion and 5 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 6 Aug 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 Egypt. 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?
severity of depression by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (time frame: 12 months). 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 6 Aug 2026.