Engage Behavioral Treatment for Older Adults with Depression and Mild Cognitive Impairment Focus on Executive Dysfunction and Late-Life Depression

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the Engage behavioral treatment approach for older adults aged 60 and above who experience late-life depression along with cognitive decline, including executive dysfunction and mild cognitive impairment. The study aims to confirm whether Engage is a feasible and suitable alternative treatment for this group, addressing the challenge that cognitive decline poses to traditional mental health therapies in older populations. Participants will undergo a single-arm 9-week Engage therapy protocol designed specifically for late-life depression combined with cognitive difficulties. This behavioral psychotherapy is delivered weekly and focuses on improving depression symptoms despite cognitive challenges. The study does not include a comparison group but monitors the response to this intervention over time. During the study, participants will be assessed using several measures including the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0, the Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale, and the Social Problem-Solving Inventory Revised-Short Form. These evaluations take place at baseline, weeks 6 and 9 during treatment, and at a follow-up visit at week 36. The study is sponsored by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and involves regular visits where participants mood, disability, behavior activation, and problem-solving abilities are tracked to understand treatment feasibility and effects.

Engage for Late-Life Depression and Comorbid Executive Dysfunction