Effectiveness of Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Treatment of Depression: a Real-world Study

December 8, 2025 updated by: Weihua Yue, Peking University
The project proposes to develop a digital product based on cognitive behavioral therapy for the assisted treatment of depression. The digital cognitive behavioral therapy in this study is conducted based on a self-developed mobile applet. The therapy is developed by psychotherapists, which is conducted for a total of 8 weeks, with weekly sessions including AI-guided course work and homework. This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic effects of CBT-based digital products for depression in patients through a real-world study, and to explore its genetic and neuroimaging mechanisms.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
325

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
    • Beijing Municipality
      • Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China, 100191
        • Recruiting
        • Peking University Sixth Hostipal
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Aged 14-60 years (including 14 and 60), no gender restriction;
  2. HAMD >= 14;
  3. Written informed consent obtained from the patient; written informed consent obtained from the guardian for minors.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Persons with severe suicidal tendencies (item 10 of the MADRS scale ≥ 5).

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: i-CBT group
i-CBT combined with conventional drug treatment
Device: a digital product based on CBT
The digital cognitive behavioral therapy in this study is conducted based on a self-developed mobile applet. The therapy is developed by psychotherapists, which is conducted for a total of 8 weeks, with weekly sessions including Al-guided course work and homework.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from baseline in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD)
Time Frame: Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
The outcome is assessed by 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) Scale. Total HAMD scores range from 0 to 52, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms. The change of HAMD from baseline to 8-week (after intervention) was used as the primary outcome.
Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Response to treatment
Time Frame: Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
Reduction rate of Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17) or Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score ≥50% was recognized as response to treatment.
Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
Clinical Global Impression-Severity of Illness (CGI-S)
Time Frame: Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
The outcome was assessed by the Clinical Global Impression-Severity of Illness (CGI-S) scale. It is rated on a 7-point scale. Higher scores indicate more severe symptoms.
Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
Change from baseline in Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA)
Time Frame: Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
The outcome is assessed by 14-item Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA). Total score ranges from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating greater severity of anxiety. The change of HAMA from baseline to 8-week (after intervention) was used.
Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
Change from baseline in Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS)
Time Frame: Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
This outcome is assessed by Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS). Total score ranges from 22 to 88, with higher scores indicating greater severity of rumination. The change of RRS from baseline to 8-week (after intervention) was used.
Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
Change from baseline in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
Time Frame: Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
This outcome is assessed by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Total score ranges from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating greater severity of sleep problems. The change of PSQI from baseline to 8-week (after intervention) was used.
Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
Change from baseline in Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC)
Time Frame: Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
This outcome is assessed by Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Total score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater resilience. The change of CD-RISC from baseline to 8-week (after intervention) was used.
Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
Change from baseline in Thinc-Integrated Tool(THINC-it)
Time Frame: Week 8 of treatment duration
Cognitive function was assessed by Thinc-Integrated Tool(THINC-it) using digital device. The change of THINC-it from baseline to 8-week (after intervention) was used.
Week 8 of treatment duration
Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-3 （CSQ-3)
Time Frame: Week 8 of treatment duration
User's satisfaction was assessed by Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-3 （CSQ-3). Total score ranges from 3 to 12. with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction.
Week 8 of treatment duration
Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ)
Time Frame: Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
This outcome is assessed by Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ), which is used to assess the positive symptom of bipolar. A positive screening for bipolar disorder is determined when there are ≥7 of the 13 screening symptoms present, at least one "yes" response in the second section indicating the co-occurrence of several symptoms, and a severity level of "moderate" or "serious problem" in the third section.
Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
Rating Scale for Side Effects（SERS）
Time Frame: Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
This outcome is assessed by Rating Scale for Side Effects (SERS), which assess 13 side-effects. Total score ranges from 13 to 52, with higher scores indicating more side-effects.
Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
Change from baseline in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)
Time Frame: Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
The outcome is assessed by Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). Total MADRS score ranges from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating greater severity of depression. The change of MADRS from baseline to 8-week (after intervention) was used.
Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
Change from baseline in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)
Time Frame: Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
The outcome is assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The PANSS consists of 30 items, divided into three subscales: Positive Symptoms (7 items), Negative Symptoms (7 items), and General Psychopathology (16 items). Each item is rated on a 7-point scale from 1 (absent) to 7 (extreme), with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms. The total PANSS score ranges from 30 to 210, with higher scores reflecting greater symptom severity.
Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
Change from baseline in Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS)
Time Frame: Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration
The outcome is assessed by the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). The YMRS consists of 11 items that assess the severity of manic symptoms, including mood, speech, motor activity, sexual interest, sleep, and other behaviors. Each item is rated on a scale from 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating greater severity of manic symptoms. The total YMRS score can range from 0 to 44, with higher scores reflecting more severe mania.
Week 4 and 8 of treatment duration

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Peking University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 13, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 12, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 12, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 18, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 15, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 8, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2024-83

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings