title: A multicenter randomized controlled trial for bright light therapy in adults with intellectual disabilities and depression: Study protocol and obstacle management.
abstract: Due to the limited cognitive and communicative abilities of adults with intellectual disabilities (ID), current treatment options for depression are often limited to lifestyle changes and pharmacological treatment. Bright light therapy (BLT) is an effective intervention for both seasonal and non-seasonal depression in the general population. BLT is an inexpensive, easy to carry out intervention with minimal side effects. However, knowledge on its anti-depressant effect in adults with ID is lacking. Obstacles in realizing a controlled intervention study in this particular study population may have contributed to this lack. To study the effect of BLT on depression in this population, it is necessary to successfully execute a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT). Therefore, the study protocol and the management of anticipated obstacles regarding this trial are presented.
authors.affiliation: Intellectual Disability Medicine, Department of General Practice, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Amarant Group, Healthcare Organization for People with Intellectual Disabilities, Tilburg, The Netherlands. Electronic address: p.hamers@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Pauline C M
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hamers
authors.affiliation: Intellectual Disability Medicine, Department of General Practice, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Heleen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Evenhuis
authors.affiliation: Intellectual Disability Medicine, Department of General Practice, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Amarant Group, Healthcare Organization for People with Intellectual Disabilities, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hermans
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D000328:Adult; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D008550:Melatonin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008550:Melatonin; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Bright light therapy; Circadian sleep-wake rhythm; Cortisol and stress; Depression; Intellectual disabilities; Melatonin; Randomized controlled trial