Efficacy of Narrative Therapy for Older People With Depression

ConditionDepression
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age60+
SponsorCity University of Hong Kong

About this trial

The research aims to investigate the efficacy of a narrative therapy group in reducing depressive symptoms among older people.

This study adopts a mixed methods research design, involving both quantitative and qualitative approaches. In the quantitative study, a randomised controlled trial will compare a narrative therapy group with a waitlist control group to determine whether an eight-session narrative therapy group can reduce depressive symptoms in older people. The eight-session narrative therapy group will be delivered by a trained and experienced social worker or counsellor, and intervention outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention using a standardised assessment tool for depressive symptoms. The qualitative study aims to examine the benefits, advantages, and limitations of the narrative therapy group from the users' perspective.

Eligibility criteria

Qualifiers

aged 60 years or above;

exhibiting depressive symptoms as assessed using a standardised assessment tool, namely the Chinese Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI; Byrne et al., 2004), with a BDI score between 10 and 30;

being a service user of an elderly centre; and

providing informed consent to participate in this research.

Disqualifiers

Individuals with severe depression (i.e. a BDI score ≥ 31), dementia, psychosis, or self-reported suicidal thoughts are excluded from this study; and

Individuals currently receiving a therapeutic intervention are not excluded from this study.

Trial design

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Narrative therapy group
  • Treatment as usual (TAU)

Treatment groups

110 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups

Sponsors and collaborators