Training Protocol 'Drop it'. The Impact of a Training Protocol Focused on Coping With Negative Repetitive Thinking on Cognitive and Behavioural Functioning of People Suffering From GAD or Minor or Moderate Depressive Disorder or Depressive Disorder in Remission

Plain-language summary

Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) plays an important role in different psychiatric disorders, such as depressive and anxiety disorders, complicated grief, posttraumatic stress disorders, anorexia nervosa. RNT is seen as a vulnerability factor in the onset, duration, severity and relapse of those disorders. Although there is a lot of theoretical research, it is unknown if a group training protocol addressing RNT has an additional effect on Treatment as Usual (TAU) of patients with GAD or Depressive disorder. Our hypothesis is that a training intervention will show a significant effect on declined RNT activity (measured by PSWQ and LARRS), reduced identification with worrying/rumination (measured by CFQ-13 and a Visual Analogue Scale), and reduced scores on metacognitions questionnaire (MCV Dutch version of the MCQ), when compared to TAU (medication, psychotherapy or a combination of both treatments). Further we expect that this effect on RNT will not be temporary and the beneficial effects will remain present over a longer time (9 months). Our third hypothesis claims that reduced RNT will have an effect on Quality of Life, self-esteem and depressive and anxiety scores (measured respectively by WHO-QoL, Rosenberg Self Esteem Questionnaire, BDI-II and STAI; all of them in Dutch version). Fourth hypothesis concerns the effect of the training in the functioning on a neurobiological level. Here we expect that the beneficial effects of training on RNT will increase top-down prefrontal (dorsolateral) cortical control over an overactive bottom-up limbic system. To examine these neurobiological effects, we apply a multimodal approach where we combine resting state fMRI, structural MRI such as diffuse tensor imaging (DTI), anterior spin labelling (ASL). Further, in our department we developed an audio critique task where participants hear different kinds of critique amongst some of negative valence which will be especially problematic for ruminative patients reflecting difficulties and differences these top-down/bottom-up processes when compared to a healthy control group at baseline. Further, we hypothesize that only when coping with RNT is successful these neuronal processes will normalize. We do not expect changes in the waiting list group. To examine these clinical and neuronal effects, people suffering from GAD and/or depression will be allocated by randomisation to an active treatment condition (ATC) and a waiting list control group (WLC). All the participants will be patients treated by general practitioner, psychologist or psychiatrist. Training exists of 8 sessions in group (max 12 participants) on a weekly basis, except for the last session, which takes place after one month). During the training people will get information on RNT, they will be trained in re-allocation of their attention, will receive some basic ideas about becoming aware of dysfunctional thinking and learn coping strategies such as stimulus control and engaging in positive activity. Assessments will take place before and after treatment for the ATC. The WLC will be measured at the start of the WLC and 12 weeks later. Measurement takes place by means of questionnaires and fMRI. During the fMRI, people will undergo a resting state paradigm and some tasks triggering RNT. 3 and 9 months after the group treatment, participants will be evaluated again on RNT by means of questionnaires. Participants in WLC will receive group treatment from the moment the parallel active treatment condition is ended (e.g. after 12 weeks). This group will be evaluated immediately after training and at 3 and 9 months follow-up. At the end of the training, after the 8th session, two participants per run will be asked to cooperate in a qualitative in-depth interview. We are interested in linking results with the group training with some factors such as quantity of sessions, degree of active participation in between sessions. We are also interested in defining which interventions are perceived as most useful and if there is a link between disorder and the usefulness of some interventions.

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