NCT03993041

Telehealth Psychotherapy for Depression in Parkinson's Disease

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 12 (actual)
• Sponsor: Boston University Charles River Campus · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Depression is a prevalent non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be an effective treatment for depression in PD. CBT is usually administered in-person in weekly sessions, but PD motor disability, stigma, and transportation issues may prevent attending such therapy sessions. CBT administered via live videoconference technology may allow the treatment of depression, while circumventing the barriers that deter those with PD from seeking psychological services. The investigators propose that videoconference CBT will improve mood in individuals with PD who have depression.

Detailed description

The investigators plan to conduct a randomized control trial with 12 participants. Six (PD-early) will receive three assessments: baseline, immediately post-treatment (post1), and 6 weeks after treatment (post2). The other six (PD-waitlist) will have an additional assessment (Baseline 2; 12 weeks after Baseline 1) to examine practice effects before beginning treatment, and then will have the post1 and post2 assessments (four assessments).

Conditions

• Depression
• Parkinson's Disease

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)	Study therapists will deliver cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) based on an emotion-focused, transdiagnostic protocol. CBT targets problematic thoughts, feelings, and behaviors through goal-oriented, systematic procedures. The intervention used in this study is designed to target emotional processing with an emphasis on present-focused awareness, cognitive flexibility, emotional avoidance, awareness and tolerance of physical sensations, and situation-based emotion exposure. The intervention is designed to help individuals better understand emotional experiences in order to respond to intense emotions in a more adaptive way.

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-08-01
• Primary completion: 2021-04-30
• Completion: 2021-04-30
• First posted: 2019-06-20
• Last updated: 2022-08-08

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States