Disentangling Pharmacological and Expectation Effects in Antidepressant Discontinuation

NAActive, not recruitingINTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment

56

Participants

Timeline

Start Date

August 1, 2022

Primary Completion Date

February 26, 2025

Study Completion Date

November 26, 2025

Conditions
Depressive SymptomsExpectationsAntidepressants
Interventions
DRUG

Treatment 'discontinuation of antidepressant medication'

Pharmacological intervention: Participants will discontinue their antidepressant medication.

DRUG

Treatment 'continuation of antidepressant medication'

Pharmacological intervention: Participants will remain on their antidepressant medication.

BEHAVIORAL

Expectation 'high'

Psychological intervention: Participants' expectations will be manipulated by varying verbal instructions using the open-hidden paradigm. Within the open trial arms, participants will receive full information about their treatment (i.e., high expectation). expectation).

BEHAVIORAL

Expectation 'moderate'

Psychological intervention: Participants' expectations will be manipulated by varying verbal instructions using the open-hidden paradigm. Within the hidden trial arms, participants will be informed about a 50% chance of discontinuing versus remaining on their antidepressant medication (i.e., moderate expectation).

Trial Locations (1)

20251

University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg

All Listed Sponsors
collaborator

Philipps University Marburg

OTHER

collaborator

Helmut Schmidt University

OTHER

collaborator

University Hospital, Essen

OTHER

lead

Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf

OTHER