Online therapy showdown: CBT vs ACT for depression
NCT ID NCT06245096
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study compared two well-known talk therapies for depression: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Both were delivered in online group sessions over 8 weeks. A total of 116 adults with major depressive disorder took part. The goal was to see how these therapies help improve mood and quality of life.
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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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116 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Feb 2024
- Finished
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Apr 2026
- 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: * diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) according to DSM-V criteria (APA, 2013) * 18 years of age or older * access to a private location with a stable internet connection and a working video camera * lives in California * able to understand and speak English * able and willing to give informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * current diagnosis other than MDD if it constitutes the predominant aspect of the clinical presentation and if it requires treatment other than that being offered * clear indication of secondary gain (e.g., court ordered treatment) * current suicide risk or significant intentional self-harm in the last six months sufficient to preclude treatment on an outpatient basis.
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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 Southern California
Los Angeles, California, 90007, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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