Practicing Alternative Techniques to Heal From Depression: The PATH-D Study

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an 8-week group intervention that uses
mindfulness meditation as its core therapeutic ingredient. It teaches people to have a
different relationship to depressive thoughts and feelings. The Health-Enhancement Program
(HEP) was developed by researches at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. It has been shown
to decrease global stress levels and to increase perceived health which literature has
indicated to be contributors to depression. 124 patients with major depressive disorder
(MDD)and who have failed to remit from two or more adequate antidepressant trials will be
identified and randomized to one of two treatment arms: MBCT+TAU or HEP +TAU. All patients
enrolled in the study will undergo research assessments pre and post treatment (baseline and
8-week) and follow-up assessments at months 3,6,9, and 12.

Inclusion Criteria:

- DSM-IV Diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

- Adequate trail of 2 or more antidepressants for a minimum of 6 weeks (one of which is
at UCSF)

- Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score of >= 14

- English Speaking

- Not currently in individual or group psychotherapy

Exclusion Criteria:

- Bipolar Disorder

- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

- Schizophrenia

- Schizoaffective Disorder

- Antisocial Personality Disorder

- Pervasive Developmental Delay

- Major Depression with Psychotic Features