NCT06170801

Group Intervention for Interpersonal Skills

Efficacy and Feasibility of a Transdiagnostic Augmentation Therapy for Improving Interpersonal Skills Using the Kiesler Circle Training (KCT)

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 156 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Charite University, Berlin, Germany · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 70 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare an individual state-of-the-art cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with CBT augmented by a group intervention for improving interpersonal skills, the Kiesler Circle Training (CBT+KCT), in patients with a depressive or anxiety disorder.

Detailed description

This study aims to test the effectiveness and feasibility of a transdiagnostic group psychotherapy to improve interpersonal skills, the Kiesler Circle Training (KCT). For this purpose, a prospective, bicentre, randomised clinical trial (RCT) blinded by evaluators and statisticians will be conducted on outpatients with diagnoses of anxiety and/or depressive disorders according to DSM-5. An individual state-of-the-art cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) will be compared with CBT augmented by Kiesler Circle Training (CBT + KCT) in a sample of 156 patients (CBT: 78 patients, CBT + KCT: 78 patients). All participants will be assessed four times, at baseline (T1, week 2), at mid-treatment (T2, week 9), at post-treatment (T3, week 14) and at 3-months follow-up (T4, week 26). Outcome measurements include interpersonal problems as well as symptom change in regard to both the categorical approach (primary diagnosis) and the transdiagnostic approach. The two main hypotheses are: 1. the improvement of interpersonal problems in the experimental group (CBT + KCT) will be greater than the improvement in the control group (CBT). 2. the improvement of interpersonal problems will be associated with decreasing symptom severity related to the primary diagnosis, so that patients in the conjoint CBT+KCT treatment will reach higher symptom change scores than patients in the CBT only condition. Furthermore, we assume that the course of interpersonal problems is moderated by childhood maltreatment and mediated by the quality and quantity of daily social contacts.

Conditions

• Depressive Disorder
• Anxiety Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Kiesler Circle Training (KCT)	Kiesler Circle Training is a transdiagnostic modular group treatment, which comprises a baseline module and four additional independent modules (nonverbal communication, verbal communication, conflict training and empathy and corrective interpersonal experiences). KCT is based on a heuristic model to explain and anticipate interactions developed by Donald Kiesler and other representatives of the interpersonal theory. The circumplex model arranges the variety of interpersonal behaviors in terms of a circular continuum allocated on two orthogonal axes: The vertical axis addresses interpersonal control (agency), the horizontal axis addresses interpersonal communion. The model further allows illustrating complementary action tendencies to anticipate other's reactions and to guide own behavior to achieve interpersonal goals. KCT is designed for increasing the awareness of such interpersonal action tendencies and for improving interpersonal behavioral flexibility.
BEHAVIORAL	Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)	Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is based on the interrelationships of thoughts, actions and feelings. Presumably, individual CBT will address intrapersonal therapeutic foci such as behavioral activation, identification of dysfunctional thoughts, overcoming fears by exposure, etc. Individual CBT may also include interpersonal functioning as therapeutic foci. Disorder-specific treatment manuals are available for all diagnoses included in the study. Of note, state-of-the-art CBT does not necessarily mean, that individual CBT-sessions strictly adhere to a manual. However, because both study sites are CBT training institutes, which guarantee supervision at least every four hours, it can be estimated that state-of-the-art CBT is realized.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-07-03
• Primary completion: 2026-07-01
• Completion: 2026-10-01
• First posted: 2023-12-14
• Last updated: 2026-03-04

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Germany