Activating Social Resources in Psychotherapy-Seeking Individuals: Effectiveness and Timing of a Social Support Just-in-Time Adaptive Intervention

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Loneliness, Social Support, Depressive Symptoms

In brief

This study evaluates a Just-In-Time Adaptive Intervention (JITAI) aiming to foster social support processes for adults with elevated depressive symptoms awaiting outpatient psychotherapy. Utilizing a daily-level micro-randomized trial (MRT) design conducted over 21 days, participants are assessed six times daily. Participants are randomized across four conditions: (1) vulnerability-triggered, (2) vulnerability and receptivity-triggered, (3) support-need-triggered, and (4) a no-intervention control. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the JITAI in reducing daily depressive symptoms and increasing received social support (primary outcomes), as well as reducing daily loneliness and enhancing perceived social support (secondary outcomes). Furthermore, the study aims to compare the relative efficacy of three distinct triggering strategies to identify the most effective timing for intervention delivery.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT07471529
Run by: University of Zurich
People needed: 120
Starts: 2026-04-22
Expected to finish: 2026-12-01
Last updated by the study team: 2026-04-30

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 70. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

indicating to seek outpatient psychotherapy
elevated levels of self-reported depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI) score > 13 (out of 63); Kühner et al., 2007)
owning a smartphone
signing the informed consent form

You may not qualify if…

first session for outpatient psychotherapy is scheduled within four weeks
suicidal ideation (values > 2 in BDI item 9)
presence of manic symptoms (Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) score > 7), - shift work
age below 18 or above 70

Where it is running

University of Zurich — Zurich, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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