Case Series Evaluation of ADepT for First Onset Depression
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A case series evaluation of Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT) for the treatment of first onset depression in young people adults
IRAS ID
275492
Contact name
Barnaby Dunn
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Exeter Research and Ethics Governance Office
ISRCTN Number
ISCRTN85278228
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Clinical depression is common, causes significant distress, and makes it hard to have a sense of wellbeing and to function fully in everyday life. Current talking treatments do not work for everyone and there is a need to develop and evaluate new approaches. People living with depression experience more frequent and intense negative emotions and less frequent and intense positive emotions, both of which need to change if people are to fully recover. Current talking treatments are useful in repairing negative emotions but are less good at re-building positive emotions. Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT) has been co-designed with people with lived experience of depression with equal focus on building positive emotions and reducing negative emotions. Previous work has found that ADepT successfully reduces negative emotions and builds positive emotions in adults with recurrent depression, leading to marked reductions in the symptoms of depression as well as large increases in wellbeing. This research will preliminarily evaluate if ADepT can also help teenagers and young adults when they first become depressed (‘first onset’). People typically do not receive treatment until much later in life, by which time their depression has often become persistent. Up to thirty young people (aged 18-24) suffering from depression for the first time (identified by the University of Exeter Wellbeing Service) will be offered ADepT and we will evaluate using a ‘case series’ methodology if it is effective. We will track changes in depression symptoms and wellbeing in the weeks before, during and after treatment. We will also invite therapists and young people who receive ADepT to take part in an interview to discuss their experiences of the treatment. We will measure how many people agree to take part in the treatment and how many sessions they attend.
REC name
South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/SW/0144
Date of REC Opinion
28 Oct 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion