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Completed

NCT Number: NCT00076245

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

This study will assess the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating seasonal affective disorder (SAD), commonly called the "winter blues."

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Key information

Conditions

Seasonal Affective Disorder Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Depression Depressive Disorder Mental Disorders Mood Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1

Primary location

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS)

Bethesda, Maryland, 20814-4799, United States

About this study

SAD is a condition in which people experience depression as a result of seasonal variations in sunlight. Although light therapy is a common treatment for SAD, a large proportion of people with SAD are resistant to this treatment. CBT is effective for nonseasonal depressive disorders, but its use for SAD has not been thoroughly explored. This study will determine whether CBT, alone and combined with light therapy, is as effective as light therapy alone in reducing SAD symptoms.

Participants in this study will be randomly assigned to light therapy, CBT, a combination of light therapy and CBT, or a control group (no therapy) for 6 weeks. CBT will be conducted twice a week; light therapy will be conducted twice a day. Assessments will be made before, during, and after the study treatment. Depression scales, questionnaires, and behavioral tasks will be used to assess the depressive symptoms of participants. A 6-month and 1-year follow-up visit will also be conducted. During the follow-up visits, participants will be interviewed and will complete a questionnaire and a survey.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
  • Willing and able to participate in the study procedures

Exclusion criteria

  • Major psychological diagnoses other than SAD
  • Current psychological or psychiatric treatment

Treatment and study plan

Light therapy

Behavioral

Light therapy will involve exposure to bright light twice a day.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Behavioral

CBT attempts to change maladaptive thoughts and beliefs, and will be conducted twice a week.

Primary outcomes

  1. Scores on the Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-Seasonal Affective Disorder Version

    Time frame: Post-treatment

    The Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-Seasonal Affective Disorder Version (SIGH-SAD) measures depressive symptoms on a continuous scale. Higher scores indicate worse outcome. Range of scores is 0 to 73. Generally, a score of 20 or higher is the cutoff for clinical depression.

  2. Remission Status on Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-Seasonal Affective Disorder Version (SIGH-SAD)

    Time frame: Post-treatment

    Dichotomous Remission Status (remitted or not) at post-treatment

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Registry information

Official study title

Cognitive Behavioral Approaches to Seasonal Depression

Important dates

Study start
2002
Primary completion
2004
Study completion
2005
First posted
Jan 19, 2004
Registry last updated
Jun 25, 2014

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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