Exploring the Suitability of Movement and Sound in Couple Therapy: A Proof-of-Concept Trial

The present phase-IIA waiting-list controlled proof-of-concept trial aims to explore the adequacy of immediate sound feedback for physical distance and touch between individuals as a potential means to complement existing methods in couple therapy. The results obtained will determine the design of a subsequent phase-IIB randomized controlled trial.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Depression
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Music-based couple therapy.

Detailed Description

According to early 20th century psychoanalysis, the "unsaid" becomes apparent in the relationship between patient and therapist, as well as in metaphors and symbols revealed through unintended utterances, imaginative techniques, and dreams. To convey emotions and thoughts, this method relies on the use of spoken language. Likewise, spoken language remains central to the practice of psychotherapy in subsequent decades, as clinicians and researchers sought to translate and transform major claims of psychoanalysis into newer paradigms, the most prominent of them being cognitive-behavioral, client-centered and family-systems psychotherapy. Inspired by somatic psychology and neuroscience evidence, more recent approaches focus on body and movement to target the "unsaid" beyond spoken language. Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the "Sentire" project attempts to provide immediate sound feedback for physical distance and touch between individuals (www.sentire.me). The present phase-IIA waiting-list controlled proof-of-concept trial aims to explore the adequacy of "Sentire" as a potential means to complement existing methods in couple therapy. The results obtained will determine the design of a subsequent phase-IIB randomized controlled trial.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Berlin, Germany, 10117
    • Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• In couple relationship for at least six months;
• Living in shared household or close daily contact.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Currently acute episode of any mental disorder.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Music-based couple therapy.; Each couple will receive five treatment sessions, including established methods from client-centered and family-systems psychotherapy as well as "Sentire," a technological approach providing immediate sound feedback for physical distance and touch. Duration of the treatment phase: five weeks.	Behavioral: Music-based couple therapy.; Each couple will receive five treatment sessions, including established methods from client-centered and family-systems psychotherapy as well as "Sentire," a technological approach providing immediate sound feedback for physical distance and touch. Duration of the treatment phase: five weeks.
No Intervention: Waiting list.; Each couple will go through an initial waiting period before the treatment phase. Duration of the waiting period: five weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Couples Satisfaction Index, CSI-32.	This self-report questionnaire was conceived to quantify various aspects of a person's satisfaction in a couple relationship on a Likert scale ranging from 0 (very low satisfaction) to 6 (very high satisfaction).	Change on the CSI-32, as determined by scores on this outcome measure at the beginning, immediately at the end of the five-week treatment phase or five-week waiting-list period, and at 12-month follow-up.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Beck's Depression Inventory, BDI-II.	This self-report measure of depression severity is known for its good psychometric properties, including construct validity and test-retest reliability.	Change on the BDI-II, as determined by scores on this outcome measure at the beginning, immediately at the end of the five-week treatment phase or five-week waiting-list period, and at 12-month follow-up.
Change in ICD-10 Symptom Rating, ISR.	This self-report measure based on the ICD-10 criteria of mental disorders serves as a screening instrument for psychological syndromes.	Change on the ISR, as determined by scores on this outcome measure at the beginning, immediately at the end of the five-week treatment phase or five-week waiting-list period, and at 12-month follow-up.

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, CTQ.	This self-report measure serves as a covariate to determine the relationship between childhood trauma and present issues in a couple relationship.	Beginning of the treatment phase. (Note: This outcome measure is only assessed once prior to the treatment phase.)
Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, PANAS.	This self-report measure serves as an indicator of change in emotional arousal within each couple therapy session.	Change from beginning to end of each couple therapy session (i.e., outcome measure applied before and within 10 minutes after each meeting).
Standortbestimmung.	This self-report measure serves as an indicator of subjective benefit from the treatment experienced within each couple therapy session.	Change from beginning to end of each couple therapy session (i.e., outcome measure applied before and within 10 minutes after each meeting).
Working Alliance Inventory.	This self-report measure serves as an indicator of therapeutic relationship quality.	12-month follow-up. (Note: This outcome measure is only assessed once at the 12-month follow-up.)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Medicine Greifswald
• Collaborators: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Benjamin Stahl, PhD, University Medicine of Greifswald & Medical School Berlin

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Study website.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 26, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 1, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): October 1, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 26, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 1, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): April 5, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 18, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 17, 2023
• Last Verified: January 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Depression
• Other Study ID Numbers: SONIFY

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