Can integrating the Memory Support Intervention into cognitive therapy improve depression outcome? A randomized controlled trial
Lu Dong, Garret Zieve, Nicole B Gumport, Courtney C Armstrong, Cynthia G Alvarado-Martinez, Armando Martinez, Shayna Howlett, Eve Fine, Melanie Tran, Mary E McNamara, Claire Weaver, Alison B Tuck, Heather E Hilmoe, Emma Agnew, Krista Fisher, Marlen Diaz, Jason Y Lee, Steven D Hollon, Haruka Notsu, Allison G Harvey, Lu Dong, Garret Zieve, Nicole B Gumport, Courtney C Armstrong, Cynthia G Alvarado-Martinez, Armando Martinez, Shayna Howlett, Eve Fine, Melanie Tran, Mary E McNamara, Claire Weaver, Alison B Tuck, Heather E Hilmoe, Emma Agnew, Krista Fisher, Marlen Diaz, Jason Y Lee, Steven D Hollon, Haruka Notsu, Allison G Harvey
Abstract
We investigated if improving a patient's memory for the content of their treatment, via the Memory Support Intervention, improves illness course and functional outcomes. The platform for investigating this question was major depressive disorder (MDD) and cognitive therapy (CT). Adults diagnosed with MDD (N = 178) were randomly allocated to CT + Memory Support (n = 91) or CT-as-usual (n = 87). Both treatments were comprised of 20-26, 50-min sessions over 16 weeks. Blind assessments were conducted before and immediately following treatment (post-treatment) and 6 months later (6FU). Patient memory for treatment, assessed with a free recall task, was higher in CT + Memory Support for past session recall at post-treatment. Both treatment arms were associated with reductions in depressive symptoms and functional impairment except: CT + Memory Support exhibited lower depression severity at 6FU (b = -3.09, p = 0.050, d = -0.27), and greater reduction in unhealthy days from baseline to 6FU (b = -4.21, p = 0.010, d = -1.07), compared to CT-as-usual. While differences in illness course and functional outcomes between the two treatment arms were limited, it is possible that future analyses of the type of memory supports and longer follow-up may yield more encouraging outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01790919. Registered October 6, 2016.
Keywords: Cognitive therapy; Depression; Experimental therapeutics; Memory support; Transdiagnostic.
Conflict of interest statement
Declaration of competing interest Allison Harvey has received research support from the National Institutes of Health and book royalties from American Psychological Association, Guilford Press, and Oxford University Press.
Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Source: PubMed