Can online therapy lift depression in spinal cord injury patients?
NCT ID NCT06233656
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether 8 weeks of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) delivered via Zoom can help reduce depression in people with spinal cord injuries. 140 participants with mild or worse depressive symptoms will be randomly assigned to either ACT or a wait-list that continues usual care. The goal is to see if ACT improves mood and quality of life compared to no additional treatment.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could provide an effective, accessible way to reduce depression and improve quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries.
- What could go wrong
- This is a relatively small, early-stage trial with a wait-list control, so results may not be definitive. The therapy requires active participation and may not work for everyone.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 140 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Apr 2024
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * community-dwelling adults (aged 18 years or older) living with spinal cord injuries * having at least mild depressive symptoms as measured by the PHQ-9 (scores ≥ 5) * having a web-enabled device (e.g., a computer or a smartphone) with internet access Exclusion Criteria: * having cognitive deficits or language barriers that might impede study participation * having suicidal intent or attempts in the past 6 months * having psychiatric hospitalizations in the previous 2 years * having a diagnosis with bipolar disorder or psychotic disorders (e.g., schizophrenia) * having a prior experience with acceptance and commitment therapy
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of South Florida
Tampa, Florida, 33612, United States
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