Evaluating Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation With or Without Text4Support for Treating Resistant Depression in Adults A Multicenter Randomized Pilot Trial

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to compare the clinical effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation rTMS alone versus rTMS combined with the Text4Support program in people diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression TRD. It is a multicenter, rater-blinded randomized controlled pilot trial involving 200 participants from clinics in Alberta and Nova Scotia, Canada. The study evaluates how adding a daily supportive text messaging program may impact depression symptoms over usual rTMS treatment alone. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups receiving 30 sessions of rTMS over six weeks alone, or receiving the same rTMS treatment plus daily text messages sent through the Text4Support program. The texts are designed by mental health professionals and users, based on cognitive behavioral therapy principles, and aim to improve mood. Texts will be sent automatically twice daily for six weeks to participants in the combined group. Participants will complete assessments at the start, and again at one, three, and six months after treatment begins. These include the Patient Health Questionnaire PHQ-9 to measure depression symptoms, along with anxiety, suicide severity, and well-being scales. Motor threshold assessments will determine stimulation intensity prior to treatment. The study will monitor participant progress and service use during treatment and follow-up periods, lasting a total of six months from enrollment.

rTMS With and Without Text4Support for the Treatment of Resistant Depression.