EXperimental Paradigm to Investigate Expectation Change in Depression 4

Major Depressive Disorder Clinical Trial

— EXPECD4  

Official title:

Worse Than Expected - Differences Between Healthy and Depressed People in Processing Unexpectedly Negative Information

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03780881
• Other study ID #: 2018-37k
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: November 11, 2018
• Est. completion date: August 31, 2019

Study information

• Verified date: December 2023
• Source: Philipps University Marburg Medical Center
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Research has shown that people with depressive symptoms maintain negative expectations even if they have positive experiences that contradict their expectations. Healthy people, however, change their expectations after unexpected positive experiences. In this experimental study, it will now be examined whether there are also differences between healthy people and people with depressive symptoms in dealing with unexpected negative experiences.

Description:

Research has already shown that people with depressive symptoms continue to hold on to negative expectations even if they have positive experiences that contradict their expectations. By contrast, healthy people change their expectations after unexpectedly positive experiences. In this experimental study, the authors will now examine whether there are also differences between healthy people and people with depressive symptoms in processing unexpectedly negative experiences. It is hypothesized that people with depressive symptoms change their expectations in a negative direction after unexpectedly negative experiences, while healthy people continue to hold on to an optimistic view.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 171
• Est. completion date: August 31, 2019
• Est. primary completion date: March 30, 2019
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria (clinical sample):

• diagnosis of major depression

• at least 18 years old

• sufficient German language skills

Exclusion Criteria (clinical sample):

• participation in previous studies on changes in expectations

Inclusion Criteria (healthy sample):

• at least 18 years old

• sufficient German language skills

Exclusion Criteria (clinical sample):

• participation in previous studies on changes in expectations

• current diagnosis of any mental disorder

• diagnosis of major depression in the past

• currently receiving psychotherapeutic treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Depressive Disorder
• Depressive Disorder, Major
• Major Depressive Disorder

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Expectation confirmation
Participants receive manipulated feedback indicating that their performance was above average in the test they had previously worked on. This feedback is intended to confirm the previously induced positive expectations of their own performance.
• Expectation disconfirmation
Participants receive manipulated feedback indicating that their performance was below average in the test they had previously worked on. This feedback is intended to negatively disconfirm the previously induced positive expectations of their own performance.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Germany	Schoen Klinik Bad Arolsen	Bad Arolsen	Hessen

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Philipps University Marburg Medical Center

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Germany, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Other	5-Item Cognitive Immunization after Performance Feedback (CIPF) scale	Engagement in cognitive immunization strategies after receiving performance feedback. Each item is scored from 1 to 7 (1 = no cognitive immunization, 7 = great engagement in cognitive immunization), yielding a total score between 5 and 35. Higher total scores reflect a greater engagement in cognitive immunization strategies.	Immediately after completion of the performance test
Primary	2-Item Performance Expectations Scale - generalized	Changes from baseline to postassessment in generalized performance expectations. Each item is scored from 1 to 7 (1 = very negative expectations, 7 = very positive expectations), yielding a total score between 2 and 14. Higher total scores reflect more positive expectations.	Immediately before the performance test and immediately after completion of the performance test
Secondary	2-Item Performance Expectations Scale - task-specific	Changes from baseline to postassessment in task-specific performance expectations. Each item is scored from 1 to 7 (1 = very negative expectations, 7 = very positive expectations), yielding a total score between 2 and 14. Higher total scores reflect more positive expectations.	Immediately before the performance test and immediately after completion of the performance test