The Efficacy of Behavioural Activation Treatment for Co-occurring Depression and Substance Use Disorder (the Activate Study): a Randomized Controlled Trial

Overview

Journal BMC Psychiatry

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2016 Jul 9

PMID 27391675

Citations 4

Authors

Joanne Ross

Maree Teesson

Carl Lejuez

Katherine Mills

Sharlene Kaye

Kathleen Brady

Glenys Dore

Katrina Prior

Xanthe Larkin

Joanne Cassar

Philippa Ewer

Sonja Memedovic

Ivana Kihas

Sarah Louise Masters

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Epidemiological studies suggest that compared with the general population, mood disorders are up to 4.7 times more prevalent in substance dependent samples. Comorbid substance use disorder (SUD) and depression has been associated with a more severe and protracted illness course and poorer treatment outcomes. Despite this, the development and assessment of behavioural interventions for treating depression among individuals with SUDs have received little empirical attention. Behavioural Activation Treatment for Depression (BATD-R) is an empirically supported treatment for depression that has shown some efficacy among substance users. This paper describes the study protocol of a parallel, single blind, randomised controlled trial to determine the efficacy and feasibility of a modified version of the BATD-R (Activate) in reducing symptoms of depression and substance dependence among individuals in residential rehabilitation (RR) and opioid substitution therapy (OST).

Methods/design: A sample of approximately 200 individuals with depressive symptomatology in treatment for SUD will be recruited from RR and OST services in New South Wales, Australia. Dynamic random allocation following minimisation methodology will be used to assign participants to one of two groups. The control group will receive treatment as usual (TAU), which will be the model of care provided in accordance with standard practice at participating RR and OST services. The intervention group will receive Activate, comprising 10 individual 60-min therapy sessions with a psychologist employed on the research team, in addition to TAU. Data collection will occur at baseline (pre-intervention), and 3-months and 12-months post baseline.

Discussion: The association between depression and substance dependence has been well documented, yet practical and effective treatments are scarce. The findings of the present study will contribute significantly to understanding the types of programs that are effective in treating this comorbidity.

Trial Registration: This trial is registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials registry, ACTRN12613000876796 . Registered on 7 August, 2013.

Citing Articles

Treatment of Depression With Alcohol and Substance Dependence: A Systematic Review.

Alsheikh A, Elemam M, El-Bahnasawi M Cureus. 2020; 12(10):e11168.

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Validity evidence of the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale-Short Form among depressed smokers.

Gonzalez-Roz A, Secades-Villa R, Muniz J Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2018; 18(2):162-169.

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Psychosocial factors associated with treatment outcomes in women with obesity and major depressive disorder who received behavioral activation for depression.

Kern D, Busch A, Schneider K, Miller S, Appelhans B, Waring M J Behav Med. 2018; 42(3):522-533.

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Alcohol use disorder symptoms are associated with greater relative value ascribed to alcohol, but not greater discounting of costs imposed on alcohol.

Hogarth L, Hardy L Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2018; 235(8):2257-2266.

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