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Group Cognitive Therapy in Chronic Depression: Results From Two Intervention Studies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2009

Michael Bristow
Affiliation:
St George's Hospital Medical School, London
Jenifer Bright
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, London

Abstract

This paper describes two interventions used to treat patients suffering with chronic depression. In the first (Study 1), a group of five sufferers from depression of more than one year's duration who had been unresponsive to, or declined drugs were given cognitive therapy for depression in a group format and followed up for a year afterwards. They were compared with a wait-list group with a similar natural history. The treatment group showed greater improvement than the wait list group and maintained most of their gains at follow-up. In the second (Study 2) four patients also suffering from chronic depression who scored highly on the Hollon Severity Index were treated in a cognitive therapy group over a more extended period (28 weeks) using the approach designed to treat personality disorder. Modest gains were made by some patients. The findings are discussed and suggestions for improvement are made.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 1995

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