We are currently recruiting people who may have concerns about changes in mood, thinking, behaviour or functioning.
What is the purpose of the study?
The purpose of this study is to see if a combination treatment of CBT in conjunction with Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation (tDCS) will help alleviate social and functional symptoms and difficulties.
Eligibility
We are seeking young people concerned about the possibility of developing psychosis to participate in a treatment that involves neurostimulation and cognitive behavioural therapy to determine if this can help with mental health concerns.
You may be eligible for this study if you meet the following criteria:
- Ages 12-30
- Recent change in thinking, behaviour, or experiences, such as:
- Confusion on what is real or imaginary
- Feeling not in control of your own thoughts or ideas
- Feeling suspicious or paranoid
- Having experiences that may not be real, such as hearing sounds or seeing things that may not be there
- Having trouble communicating clearly
- Negative symptoms, such as:
- Not wanting to do much socializing
- Lack of motivation
- Not enjoying things like you used to
What would I do?
You would first meet with the study staff for an interview to determine if you are eligible for the study. You would then complete several assessments and treatments including:
Baseline Assessment
You will first go through a baseline clinical assessment, where we will assess your symptoms and functioning and have you complete some problem-solving tasks on a computer. This assessment will be repeated 4 weeks later once you have completed the treatment. This assessment may take place by phone, videoconferencing (e.g., Zoom), or in-person.
Treatment Part I: tDCS
Following the baseline assessment, you will participate in daily 30-minute tDCS treatment sessions for three weeks.
Treatment Part II: CBT
During the 3 weeks of tDCS treatment, you will also begin attending the CBT group or individual sessions twice per week.
Learn More
If you are interested in learning more or have any questions about the tDCS study, please contact the study staff.
The University of Calgary Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board has approved this research study (REB19-0758)
At-Risk for Mental Illness Studies 