A Randomized Control Trial of Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Group Therapy for Older Adults with Depression: Efficacy Across Older Age-Groups

Launched by NOVA SCOTIA HEALTH AUTHORITY · Mar 19, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying a type of therapy called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Older Adults (CBT-OA), which is designed to help older adults who are feeling depressed. The goal of the study is to see how effective this group therapy is over an 8-week period, where participants will meet for 2 hours each week to learn how to change their thoughts and behaviors to improve their mood. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group will start the CBT-OA treatment right away, while the other group will receive standard care from their doctor for 12 weeks and will be offered the therapy later.

To be eligible for this trial, participants must be at least 65 years old and diagnosed with major depression. They should be able to walk and participate in the therapy. However, those with certain conditions, such as severe mental health issues, dementia, or those currently receiving other intensive treatments, will not be able to join. Throughout the study, both groups will be closely monitored to track their progress. This trial is a great opportunity for older adults dealing with depression to potentially receive effective therapy in a supportive group environment.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Ambulatory patients 65+ years of age and diagnosed with MDE per DSM-V criteria by a geriatric psychiatrist using a standard clinical biopsychosocial assessment and a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) of \>12.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Patients with psychosis, those undergoing acute inpatient care or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), those with dementia (Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) score of \< 26), and those with chronic personality disorders