The Efficacy of Treatments to Improve Self-esteem

Launched by GGZ NOORD-HOLLAND-NOORD · Oct 20, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how effective two different treatments are for improving self-esteem in people with low self-esteem. The two approaches being tested are called COMET and CBT. Researchers want to find out if one treatment works better than the other not just for boosting self-esteem, but also for reducing anxiety and depression. They’re looking at whether changes in self-esteem are linked to changes in mental health and if a person's imagination plays a role in how well they respond to these treatments.

To participate in this study, individuals should feel they have low self-esteem and agree to seek help for it. However, some people may not be eligible, such as those who are experiencing severe mental health crises or those who cannot identify at least one positive thing about themselves. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatments and will complete surveys at the beginning of the study, at the end of treatment, and again six months later to assess their progress. This study is currently recruiting participants of all genders, aged between 16 and 74 years.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • - A self-perceived low self-esteem established by both patient and caregiver by means of (consent to) referral for self-esteem treatment.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • severe suicidality for which hospitalization or other forms of crisis care is necessary,
• • acute psychosis,
• • current manic episode,
• • current alcohol or drug abuse,
• • insufficient knowledge of the Dutch language,
• • illiteracy
• • being unable to identify at least one positive aspect of oneself, which does not need to be felt as convincing for the participant. The latter is an excluding criterium formulated by the COMET protocol.