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A mental workout before surgery: could problem-solving coaching speed recovery in seniors?

NCT ID NCT06174701

Symptom relief Sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 03, 2026 · Last updated Aug 04, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study tests whether problem-solving therapy (PST) — a form of coaching that helps people tackle challenges step by step — is practical and acceptable for older adults preparing for major surgery. Participants aged 65 and older who show mild depressive symptoms or lack social support will receive PST sessions before and after their operation, or enhanced usual care with educational materials. The study will measure how well participants recover their daily functioning over six months and track changes in depressive symptoms, aiming to see if this approach is worth testing in a larger trial.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Problem-solving therapy (PST) delivered as one-on-one coaching before and after surgery, compared with enhanced usual care (educational handouts).
What this could lead to
If this approach proves feasible, it could pave the way for a larger study testing whether PST helps older adults regain function and avoid depression after major surgery.
What could go wrong
This is a small pilot study focused on feasibility, not proof of effectiveness. Results may not generalize, and the therapy may not improve recovery outcomes.

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

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

29 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jun 2024

Finished

Apr 2026

Lead sponsor

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

65 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion criteria: * ≥ 65 years of age on the day of surgery * Scheduled major surgery with an anticipated hospital stay of 3+ days. Major operations include: orthopedic, thoracic or abdominal, cardiac procedures * Depressive symptoms - Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) screening with a score of 5+, 5-9 being subclinical depression and scores up to 27 indicating increasing depression. If the score is 5-9, we need to have at least one of these items included: "at least one of the endorsed items needs to be depressed mood or diminished activities" (questions #1 and #2) Exclusion criteria: * Those with severe cognitive impairment - Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) screening with a score of 5+ errors, 5-8 being moderate to severe cognitive impairment * Unable to read, speak, and understand English * Current alcohol or other substance abuse (scoring 2+ on CAGE questionnaire or answering yes to "Do you currently use any non-prescription drugs or substances?") * Life expectancy is 6 months or less

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Depression

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Depressive symptoms Older adults Physical function Postoperative outcome Psychosocial functioning Surgery

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of California, San Francisco

    San Francisco, California, 94143, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.