GNATS are "gloomy negative autonomous thoughts", of course. Merry, et al. article at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3330131/
Synopsis from POEMs research summaries: ... investigators enrolled 187 adolescents presenting to youth clinics, general practices, and school-based counseling services requesting treatment for depression. They excluded those with severe depression and those at high risk of self harm or suicide but otherwise enrolled any adolescent seeking help. The patients were randomly assigned, using concealed allocation, to receive either usual care or a CD with the game on it (an online version is coming; see: http://sparx.org.nz). Neither patients nor their clinicians were masked, though outcome assessors were unaware of treatment. The fantasy game consists of 7 modules (levels) that explicitly aim, through a series of adventures in a fantasy world dominated by GNATS (gloomy negative autonomous thoughts), to provide cognitive behavioral therapy by setting and monitoring real-life challenges. The game does! not have Halo-quality graphics, but is okay, and 86% of participants completed 4 modules and 60% completed all 7 modules. Usual care resulted in counseling for most of the patients. Outcomes were measured using the Children's Depression Rating Scale -- Revised, which measures the severity of depression, covering 17 symptom areas. Using intention-to-treat analysis, depression scores were reduced by a similar amount in both groups; results were similar when analyzing only children in both groups who completed treatment. The study did not have a placebo group, so we don't know whether the children would have improved without treatment over the 2 months of the study. Improvement was maintained for at least 3 months following the end of treatment. --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=18915 or send a blank email to leave-18915-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
