EXperimental Paradigm to Investigate Expectation Change in Depression 4 (EXPECD4)

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

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.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Major Depressive Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Expectation confirmation; Behavioral: Expectation disconfirmation

Detailed 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.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 171
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Hessen
    • Bad Arolsen, Hessen, Germany, 34454
      • Schoen Klinik Bad Arolsen

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 14 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

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

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Expectation confirmation; The participants in this group receive manipulated feedback indicating that their performance was very good in the test they had previously worked on. This feedback is intended to confirm the previously induced positive expectations of their own performance.	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.
Experimental: Expectation disconfirmation; The participants in this group 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.	Behavioral: 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.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
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 Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
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

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
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

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Philipps University Marburg Medical Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Tobias Kube, PhD, Philipps University Marburg Medical Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 11, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 30, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): August 31, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 18, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 18, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): December 19, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 5, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 4, 2023
• Last Verified: December 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Mood Disorders; Depressive Disorder; Depressive Disorder, Major
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2018-37k

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: No IPD will be shared

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No