ALERT

The ALERT study is a multi-center randomized controlled clinical trial focusing on the prevention of victimisation in people with depression. This project is conducted at GGZ inGeest and Arkin in cooperation with Amsterdam UMC and VU Univarsity Amsterdam.

According to research, depressive patients are 3.5 times more likely to be a victim of a violent crime compared to the general population. Victimisation (being subject to physical violence, sexual harassment or violence) is a serious event which may lead to additional psychopathology and a less effective treatment result.

Emotion dysregulation (ED) is considered to be a consequence of and a risk factor for both victimization and depression. Therefore, an emotion regulation training is expected to reduce victimisation risk in previously victimised depressed patients.

The ALERT study aims to examine 1)the (cost-)effectiveness of the addition of Emotion-Regulation Training (ERT) to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in reducing future victimisation in high risk outpatients suffering from depression and 2) the effectiveness of the addition of ERT to CBT in reducing symptoms of depression, emotion-dysregulation and other secondary clinical outcomes.

The ALERT trial will provide 6 sessions of blended ERT, consisting of online session and videoconference-sessions to patients with Major Depressive Disorder which have been victimised in the previous three years.

Contact information:

Carolien Christ, PhD student
alert-onderzoek@arkin.nl