Behavioral Activation for Veterans with Social Disconnection

This study is for Veterans aged 18 to 65 who experience social disconnection and difficulty with social functioning. It compares two approaches: Behavioral Activation (BA), which helps people increase engagement in meaningful activities, and Supportive Care Therapy (SCT), which focuses on understanding emotions and thoughts. The goal is to see if BA can improve social functioning in Veterans. Researchers will measure changes in social connectedness, overall social functioning, and how much interest and pleasure you find in social activities at the beginning, after 12 weeks of treatment, and again 24 weeks later. The current status of this study is unclear, and it plans to enroll 136 participants.

Study design
This is an interventional study planning to enroll 136 participants. It compares two behavioral therapies: Behavioral Activation and Supportive Care Therapy.
What's involved
Not specified in the trial record.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be followed for 24 weeks after treatment to assess long-term effects.

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NCT07697001

Clinical and Neurocomputational Effects of Behavioral Activation in Veterans With Impaired Social Functioning

Not Yet Recruiting
NAAges 18–65InterventionalTreatment
VA Office of Research and Development
~136 participants
Updated 2026-07-16 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Behavioral Activation (BA)Supportive Care Therapy (SCT)

At a glance

Recruiting sites
0 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Social Connectedness Scale - Revised (SCS-R)
Measured over Baseline, Post-Treatment (12 weeks), Follow-Up (24 weeks)
+4 more outcomes measured
Social Anhedonia
Social Function Impairment
1 sites across 1 states
California1
  • Katia Harle, MD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

being a Veteran
having moderate to high levels of social disconnection (Social Connectedness Scale-Revised/SCS-R score \< 90)
having moderate to high levels of social functioning impairments (Sheehan Disability Scale/SDS-social domain score \>=5)
having moderate to high levels of social anhedonia (Specific Loss of Interest and Pleasure Scale/SLIPS score \>= 6)

Exclusion

lifetime history of psychotic or bipolar disorder
neurological conditions, neurodevelopmental disorders, or sensory deficits that may impact cognitive functioning to preclude understanding/completion of study procedure
regular use of certain psychotropic medications that may significantly impact goal-directed performance on the task (i.e., benzodiazepines, sedative hypnotics, and opioid analgesics); pre-existing stable doses of psychotropic medications, such as SSRIs, will be allowed (if same regimen has been taken for at least 30 days)
current severe alcohol or substance use disorders (AUD/SUD) necessitating prioritization of substance use treatment
suicidal or homicidal ideation within the past month necessitating urgent higher-level care
concurrent individual cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy specifically targeting depression, anhedonia, and/or PTSD
  • Social Connectedness Scale - Revised (SCS-R)Baseline, Post-Treatment (12 weeks), Follow-Up (24 weeks)

    Measures the degree to which individuals feel connected to others in their social environment. Scores range from 20 to 120, where higher scores indicate a stronger, healthier sense of social connectedness.

  • Inventory of Psychosocial Functioning (IPF)Baseline, Post-Treatment (12 weeks), Follow-Up (24 weeks)

    The scale measures the degree of impairment in ability to interact effectively with others, fulfill social roles (e.g., work), and meet personal and societal expectations. It is comprised of 7 subscales. Each item ranges from 0 to 6. Higher scores indicate greater degree of impairment in psychosocial functioning.

  • Specific Loss of Interest and Pleasure Scale (SLIPS)Baseline, Post-Treatment (12 weeks), Follow-Up (24 weeks)

    This is a measure of social anhedonia, i.e., hypo-responsiveness to social rewards, such as positive human interactions. Scores range from 0 to 69. Higher scores indicate greater severity of social anhedonia.

  • Social Reward MaximizationBaseline, Post-Treatment (12 weeks), Follow-Up (24 weeks)

    Computational parameter derived from behavioral social functioning probe (behavioral reinforcement learning task), capturing the degree to which individuals select social partners they predict to be more rewarding (to offer the most compliments).

  • Neural Activation to Social Reward Prediction Errors (RPEs)Baseline, Post-Treatment (12 weeks), Follow-Up (24 weeks)

    Average BOLD (Blood-Oxygenation-Level Dependent) % signal change (i.e., activation) associated with individuals' model-based RPE (difference between expected probability of reward/compliment and actual outcome received. i.e., compliment vs no-compliment).