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Efficacy of Narrative Therapy for Older People With Depression

ClinicalTrials.gov IDNCT07371988

PhaseNA

Enrollment110

SponsorCity University of Hong Kong

Age60 Years

SexALL

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Conditions studied

Depression

About this study

The research aims to investigate the efficacy of a narrative therapy group in reducing depressive symptoms among older people. This study adopts a mixed methods research design, involving both quantitative and qualitative approaches. In the quantitative study, a randomised controlled trial will compare a narrative therapy group with a waitlist control group to determine whether an eight-session narrative therapy group can reduce depressive symptoms in older people. The eight-session narrative therapy group will be delivered by a trained and experienced social worker or counsellor, and intervention outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention using a standardised assessment tool for depressive symptoms. The qualitative study aims to examine the benefits, advantages, and limitations of the narrative therapy group from the users' perspective.

Interventions

Behavioral: Narrative therapy group — Narrative therapy group consists of 8 sessions, with one session will be conducted per week, with each session lasting for about 90 minutes. A social worker and a counsellor will be recruited to run narrative groups at collaborative elderly centres. The narrative therapy group provides the following intervention strategies: engagement, de-construction, re-construction, and co-construction of personal identities. A standardized program manual of this narrative group will be developed by the research team. The social workers delivering the narrative therapy group in this project will receive the program manuals, training and supervision from the project team and an experienced clinical psychologist to ensure that the intervention groups follow the program manual.
Other: Treatment as usual (TAU) — Waitlist control group will receive will receive treatment as usual provided by the elderly centre, including recreational activities and interest classes, at the initial stage and will receive a brief narrative therapy program at a later stage

Primary outcomes

Chinese Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI) (Before and after the 8-week intervention)

Eligibility information

Inclusion Criteria: 1. aged 60 years or above; 2. exhibiting depressive symptoms as assessed using a standardised assessment tool, namely the Chinese Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI; Byrne et al., 2004), with a BDI score between 10 and 30; 3. being a service user of an elderly centre; and 4. providing informed consent to participate in this research. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Individuals with severe depression (i.e. a BDI score ≥ 31), dementia, psychosis, or self-reported suicidal thoughts are excluded from this study; and 2. Individuals currently receiving a therapeutic intervention are not excluded from this study.

Study locations

City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Hong Kong

Before you participate: Varda Clinical is an independent discovery tool, not the study sponsor or a medical provider. Eligibility can only be determined by the official study team. Discuss potential risks and benefits with a qualified healthcare professional.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov. Record last refreshed by Varda Clinical: 2026-09-27.