Not yet taking people in TürkiyeNo phase

Two talk therapies for adults with major depressive disorder

Compares brief psychoanalytic therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy with waiting, in adults with depression.

Key facts

Who runs it: Istanbul Nisantasi University
Where: Istanbul, TürkiyeSee the site
Trial code: NCT07857629
Registry title: Brief Psychoanalytic Therapy Versus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder
Status: Not yet recruiting
People taking part: 90 people, planned
Started: 1 Nov 2026
Expected to end: 15 Oct 2027
Type of study: Interventional, 3 groupsOne group gets no study treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested: Brief Psychoanalytic Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Record updated: 5 October 2026

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for adults aged 18 to 65 with major depressive disorder. They will get brief psychoanalytic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or be on a waitlist for 18 weeks.

Age: 18 to 65 years
Sex: All sexes can join.
Disease stage: Major depressive disorder (single or recurrent episode) confirmed by a psychiatrist and a structured interview. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-17) score of 14 or higher at the start.
Earlier treatment: People must either take no antidepressant, or be on a stable antidepressant dose for at least 8 weeks and keep it unchanged for 18 weeks. They cannot be in psychotherapy now, or have had cognitive behavioral or psychodynamic therapy in the past 12 months.

Main reasons for not taking part

Bipolar disorder, psychotic disorder, or depression with psychotic features
Moderate or severe substance use disorder in the past 6 months
High suicide risk: active suicidal thoughts with plan or intent, or a suicide attempt in the past 12 months
Another main psychiatric diagnosis needing different treatment, such as PTSD, OCD, eating disorder, or severe personality disorder
Electroconvulsive therapy or repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the past 6 months

The registry criteria, word for word

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Who can take part

Primary DSM-5-TR diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (single or recurrent episode), established by a psychiatrist and confirmed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5, Clinician Version (SCID-5-CV)
Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-17) total score of 14 or higher at baseline
Either not taking antidepressant medication, or on a stable antidepressant dose for at least 8 weeks before enrollment and willing to keep the dose unchanged during the 18-week treatment phase
Literate in Turkish and able to attend weekly sessions
Written informed consent

Who cannot take part

Currently receiving any psychotherapy, or having received cognitive behavioral or psychodynamic therapy within the past 12 months
Electroconvulsive therapy or repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation within the past 6 months
Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorder, or major depressive disorder with psychotic features
Moderate or severe substance use disorder within the past 6 months
Another primary psychiatric diagnosis requiring different treatment (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorder, or severe personality disorder)
Neurological disorder, dementia, intellectual disability, or a medical condition that could explain the depressive symptoms (e.g., untreated hypothyroidism)
High suicide risk, defined as active suicidal ideation with plan or intent, or a suicide attempt within the past 12 months

Check if you might fit

Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.

Are you between 18 and 65 years old?

Where in Türkiye

Istanbul Nisantasi UniversitesiIstanbul, TürkiyeContact: Metin Çınaroğlu, PhdNo longer taking part

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether brief psychoanalytic therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) reduce depressive symptoms in adults aged 18 to 65 who have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder. The main questions it aims to answer are:

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* Does brief psychoanalytic therapy reduce depression severity more than a waitlist control condition after 18 weeks? * Does CBT reduce depression severity more than a waitlist control condition after 18 weeks?

Researchers will also compare brief psychoanalytic therapy with CBT to explore whether one works better than the other, and will examine whether changes in defense mechanisms and automatic negative thoughts explain improvement in each therapy.

Participants will:

* Be randomly assigned to brief psychoanalytic therapy, CBT, or a waitlist control group (30 participants per group) * In the therapy groups, attend 18 weekly individual therapy sessions of 50 minutes each * In the waitlist group, continue their usual psychiatric care without psychotherapy for 18 weeks, and then be offered one of the therapies * Complete clinical interviews and questionnaires about depression, anxiety, quality of life, thought patterns and coping styles before treatment, at week 9 and at week 18 * In the therapy groups, complete follow-up assessments 6 and 12 months after treatment ends

The 3 groups in the trial

Brief Psychoanalytic TherapyTreatment being tested
Participants receive 18 weekly individual 50-minute sessions of manualized brief psychoanalytic therapy over 18 weeks. Participants on antidepressants continue a stable dose.
Cognitive Behavioral TherapyTreatment being tested
Participants receive 18 weekly individual 50-minute sessions of manualized cognitive behavioral therapy over 18 weeks. Participants on antidepressants continue a stable dose.
Waitlist Plus Treatment as UsualNo study treatment, for comparison
Participants continue routine psychiatric follow-up with antidepressant doses held stable and receive no psychotherapy for 18 weeks. Brief non-therapeutic safety check-in calls are made every 4 weeks. After the week-18 assessment, participants are offered either brief psychoanalytic therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy.