NCT02822443

Improve: Integrating Emotion Focused Components Into Psychological Therapy

The Impact of Integrating Emotion Focused Components Into Psychological Therapy

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 104 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Bern · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The primary purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of two treatment-as-usual (TAU) conditions: TAU with integration of emotion focused components (EFT) and TAU with focus on self-regulation (SR). Especially the long-term efficacy is evaluated with a focus on differential effects. Moreover, the mechanisms of change of both conditions are investigated.

Detailed description

Background: "General Psychotherapy" postulates an ongoing process of including all interventions and concepts relevant for a domain, be they from other approaches to psychotherapy or concepts from basic science. "Psychological Therapy" (PT) is a therapeutic approach largely corresponding to the ideas of General Psychotherapy. It draws mainly on empirically validated interventions from Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and is based on concepts with a strong basis in academic psychology and neighboring fields. PT is based on explicit individual case conceptualization, reference to general therapeutic factors, and an explicit prescriptive concept for building and maintaining the therapeutic relationship. However the range of emotion-related interventions commonly used in PT is limited when compared with an approach like Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT). EFT appears thus as a suitable complement and enrichment to PT as commonly practiced. However, effects of integrating EFT-based interventions in a way that is close to common integrative practice have not yet been studied. Objective: To compare the efficacy of two treatment-as-usual (TAU) conditions: TAU with integration of EFT components and TAU with focus on self-regulation (SR). Methods: In Switzerland, a randomized-controlled trail will be carried out in secondary care, comparing the efficacy of TAU - EFT and TAU - SR for adults with major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder or adjustment disorder. Respondents will be followed until 36 months after end of therapy (measures will be taken at baseline, after 8 and after 16 weeks, at the end of therapy after 25 weeks, 6 months, 12 months and 36 months follow-up).

Conditions

• Unipolar Depression
• Anxiety Disorder
• Adjustment Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Psychological therapy (PT) as TAU with integrated emotion focused components (TAU - EFT)	25 (+/- 3) weekly sessions and up to three booster sessions of face-to-face outpatient psychotherapy; psychological therapy with focus on emotion-focused interventions.
BEHAVIORAL	Psychological therapy (PT) as TAU with focus on self-regulation (TAU - SR)	25 (+/- 3) weekly sessions and up to three booster sessions of face-to-face outpatient psychotherapy; psychological therapy with focus on self-regulation without emotion-focused interventions

Timeline

• Start date: 2015-04-01
• Primary completion: 2018-07-01
• Completion: 2019-08-01
• First posted: 2016-07-04
• Last updated: 2019-09-10

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Switzerland