Computer-based Treatment of Dysfunctional Beliefs in Depressive Inpatients
Computer-based Treatment of Dysfunctional Beliefs in Depressive Inpatients
The aim of the present study is to investigate whether confronting depressive patients with
 their dysfunctional core beliefs via a computer program results in a reduction of the
 patients' dysfunctional beliefs. Patients will be presented with a virtual agent confronting
 them with their dysfunctional core beliefs (e.g. "You are worthless"). Participants will be
 instructed to contradict these virtual agents (e.g. "That's not true, I'm a wonderful
 person").
The aim of the present study is to investigate whether confronting depressive patients with
 their dysfunctional core beliefs via a computer program results in a reduction of the
 patients' dysfunctional beliefs. Participants will randomly be assigned to the experimental
 or control group. In the course of the study, experimental participants will be presented
 with a virtual agent confronting them with their dysfunctional core beliefs (e.g. "You are
 worthless"). Experimental participants will be instructed to contradict these virtual agents
 (e.g. "That's not true, I'm a wonderful person").

 A group of inpatients (male/female) suffering from depression will participate in the study.
 The patients will be recruited at the "Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und
 Psychotherapie der Universität Regensburg am Bezirksklinikum Regensburg".

 The study will be divided into five sessions taking place on consecutive days. Furthermore,
 there will be a follow-up.

 Session 1:

 In the course of this session participants will be informed about the experimental procedure
 and sign an informed consent. Exclusion criteria will be assessed via self-report and by
 consulting the responsible therapist. Participants will be asked to fill in the German
 version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II and German version of the Dysfunctional Attitude
 Scale. The experimenter will explain the concept of dysfunctional "core beliefs" to the
 participants and give examples. Participants will be asked to write down three individual
 core beliefs (e.g. "I'm worthless") and to rate how much they believe in each of these three
 core beliefs (on a scale ranging from 0% to 100%). Furthermore, participants will be asked to
 write down alternative beliefs for each of the three core beliefs and to rate (on a scale
 ranging from 0% to 100%) how much they believe in these alternative beliefs.

 Sessions 2 to 4 (intervention):

 During these sessions, the experimental participants will be seated in front of a computer.
 The experimenter will read aloud the participants' core beliefs with the virtual agent on the
 computer screen moving his lips accordingly. Thus, participants will get the impression of
 the agent speaking to them. Participants will be instructed to contradict the agent. There
 will be 10 trials per core belief (30 trials per session, 90 trials in total). At the end of
 each session, participants will be asked to rate how much they believe in each of their core
 beliefs as well as in each of their alternative beliefs. Furthermore, they will be asked to
 rate (on a scale ranging from 0% to 100%) how hard it was for them to contradict the virtual
 agent. Control subjects will not undergo sessions 2 to 4.

 Session 5:

 Participants will fill in the German version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II and the
 German version of Dysfunctional Attitude Scale and give a conviction rating for each of their
 three core beliefs and each of their alternative beliefs.

 Follow-up (after two weeks):

 Participants will fill in the German version of the Beck Depression Inventory-II and the
 German version of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale and give a conviction rating for each of
 their three core beliefs and each of their alternative beliefs.
Inclusion Criteria:

 • diagnosis of a depressive disorder

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  substantial and imminent suicide risk

 -  current psychotic symptoms

 -  history of psychotic symptoms

 -  current manic episode

 -  current diagnosis of alcohol or drug abuse or dependence

 -  hearing problems

 -  poor eyesight

 -  pregnancy