Development of a Convenient, Automated, Objective Measure of Depression
The purpose of this research study is to establish an easily obtained and objective measure of depression. In order to do so, we are looking at the relationship between depression and vocal acoustics – which are speech patterns – in patients with Major Depressive Disorder.
Participation will involve three office visits lasting around 1 hour each. You will be asked to come in within two weeks of beginning a new treatment or changing your treatment regimen and again 4 weeks and 8 weeks after. You will be compensated $25 per visit.
At the first visit, if you agree to participate in the research study and are eligible for it, you will be provided a quiet room and a standard desktop touch-tone telephone. You will then be asked to speak certain passages and respond orally to surveys. This visit will take about an hour to complete.
During the 4-week and 8-week visits, you will be asked again to speak certain passages and respond orally to surveys, as you had been asked to do during the first visit. At these two later visits you will also hear recordings of your previous visits and be asked to answer questionnaires regarding them. Each visit will take approximately one hour.
At this time, this study is particularly interested in participants aged 18-25 years or 60 years and older.
If you are interested, please contact Rachel at 617-724-3673, or ralarocca@partners.org
We initiate new studies regularly, so please contact us for additional information.