First Experimental Study of Transference Work - In Teenagers (FEST-IT) (FEST-IT)

First Experimental Study of Transference Work - In Teenagers

The First Experimental Study on Transference work - In Teenagers (FEST-IT) will be a randomized clinical trial, which will be designed to explore effects of transference work in dynamic psychotherapy in adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD). The design of the study is a so-called dismantling design, in which a single component is added and/or varied to an existent treatment method (psychodynamic psychotherapy). Thus, the efficiency of a specific technique (transference interventions) can be identified.

The primary hypothesis is that the transference group may have a more favorable course over time than will the comparison group.

The second hypothesis is that patients with a history of low Quality of Object Relations score and/or personality disorders-might benefit more from therapy with transference work than from therapy without.

The third hypothesis is that female adolescents may have better treatment effect of transference work than male adolescents.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Depression
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Individual psychodynamic psychotherapy

Detailed Description

The effect of transference interventions in depressed adolescents and the moderator moderating effect of quality of object relations, personality disorder and gender will be explored. Methods and study design: The First Experimental Study of Transference Work-In Teenagers (FEST-IT) will be a randomized clinical trial with a dismantling design. The study is aimed to explore the effects of transference work in psychodynamic psychotherapy for adolescents with depression. One hundred patients ages 16 to 18 years old will be randomized to one of two treatment groups, in both of which general psychodynamic techniques will be used. The quality of adolescents' relationships will be a central focus of the study.The patients will be treated over 28 weeks with either a moderate level of transference intervention or no transference intervention. Follow-up will be at 1 year after treatment termination.

Gender personality disorder (PD) and quality of object relations (QOR) will be the preselected moderators.

The object of this clinical trial is to explore the effect of transference interventions in psychodynamic psychotherapy in adolescents with a major depressive disorder. Using a randomized and dismantling design, we hope that the study will add more specific knowledge to the evidence base.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 70
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Norway
  • Oslo, Norway
    • Oslo University Hospital
  • Oslo, Norway
    • University of Oslo
  • Oslo, Norway
    • BUP vest, Diakonhjemmet sykehus
  • Oslo, Norway
    • Nic Walls Institutt, Lovisenberg Diakonale Sykehus
  • Oslo, Norway
    • Spcialist in psychiatry and clinical psychiatry
  • Vestfold
    • Tønsberg, Vestfold, Norway, 3103
      • Research Unit, Division of

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 years to 18 years (ADULT, CHILD)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adolescents aged 16 - 18 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pervasive developmental disorder,
• psychosis, or substance abuse

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: TRIPLE

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: Individual PDT with TW; Individual Psychodynamic psychotherapy with transference work (TW).	Behavioral: Individual psychodynamic psychotherapy; Individual psychodynamic psychotherapy with or without transference work. I.e. with or without relational therapist interventions focusing on the patient-therapist relationship.; Other Names: Individual PDT; Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy; Short-term dynamic psychotherapy; Short-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Individual PDT without (TW); Individual Psychodynamic psychotherapy without focus on transference work (TW).	Behavioral: Individual psychodynamic psychotherapy; Individual psychodynamic psychotherapy with or without transference work. I.e. with or without relational therapist interventions focusing on the patient-therapist relationship.; Other Names: Individual PDT; Short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy; Short-term dynamic psychotherapy; Short-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Psychodynamic Functioning Scales (PFS)	Average of 5 subscales rated by experienced clinician raters; family relations, friendships, tolerance for affects, insight, problem solving and adaptive capacity	3 months
Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex Version (IIP-C)	64.items patient rated measure	Currentl

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF)	Rated by experienced clinician raters	One week
Symptom Checklist-90 (Global Severity Index; GSI)	Patient-rated	Current
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)	Patient rated	Current
Montgomery Åsberg Rating Scale (MADRS)	Rated by therapist and/or experienced clinician rater	Current

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Adolescent Relationship Scale (ARS)	Patient rated Visual-Analogues scales	Current

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Randi Ulberg
• Collaborators: University of Oslo
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Randi Ulberg, PhD, Vestfold Hospital Trust and University of Oslo

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Brosholen P, Ulberg R, Dahl HJ, Thoren A. Therapists' Emotional Responses in Individual Therapy with Depressed Adolescents: An Evaluation of the Data Structure of the Feeling-Word Checklist-28. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Aug 2;19(15):9496. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19159496.
• Henriksen AK, Ulberg R, Tallberg BPU, Lovgren A, Johnsen Dahl HS. Conflicted Anger as a Central Dynamic in Depression in Adolescents-A Double Case Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jun 15;18(12):6466. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18126466.
• Ulberg R, Hummelen B, Hersoug AG, Midgley N, Hoglend PA, Dahl HJ. The first experimental study of transference work-in teenagers (FEST-IT): a multicentre, observer- and patient-blind, randomised controlled component study. BMC Psychiatry. 2021 Feb 17;21(1):106. doi: 10.1186/s12888-021-03055-y.
• Lovgren A, Rossberg JI, Nilsen L, Engebretsen E, Ulberg R. How do adolescents with depression experience improvement in psychodynamic psychotherapy? A qualitative study. BMC Psychiatry. 2019 Mar 21;19(1):95. doi: 10.1186/s12888-019-2080-0.
• Ness E, Dahl HJ, Tallberg P, Amlo S, Hoglend P, Thoren A, Egeland J, Ulberg R. Assessment of dynamic change in psychotherapy with asdolescents. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2018 Jul 30;12:39. doi: 10.1186/s13034-018-0246-z. eCollection 2018.
• Ulberg R, Hersoug AG, Hoglend P. Treatment of adolescents with depression: the effect of transference interventions in a randomized controlled study of dynamic psychotherapy. Trials. 2012 Sep 6;13:159. doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-13-159.

Helpful Links

• The Central Norway Regional Ethics Health Committee
• Sykehuset i Vesthold
• University of Oslo
• Ulberg R, Hersoug AG, Høglend P.(2012)Treatment of adolescents with depression: the effect of transference interventions in a randomized controlled study of dynamic psychotherapy.Trials. 2012 Sep 6;13:159. doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-13-159.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): January 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): March 1, 2019
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): March 1, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 8, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 9, 2012
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): February 10, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): March 17, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 16, 2020
• Last Verified: March 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Adolescent; Depression; Treatment; Transference work; Psychodynamic
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Depression
• Other Study ID Numbers: Sykehuset i Vestfold; REK: 2011/1424 FEST-IT (REGISTRY: The Central Norway Regional Ethics Health Committee)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED