Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T18:21:20.122Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of psychotherapy for depression on improvements in social functioning: a meta-analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 January 2014

F. Renner ,
P. Cuijpers  and
M. J. H. Huibers
F. Renner*
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
P. Cuijpers
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
M. J. H. Huibers
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, The Netherlands Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands
*
*Address for correspondence: Mr F. Renner, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. (Email: [email protected])
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

Patients with depression often report impairments in social functioning. From a patient perspective, improvements in social functioning might be an important outcome in psychotherapy for depression. Therefore, it is important to examine the effects of psychotherapy on social functioning in patients with depression.

Method

We conducted a meta-analysis on studies of psychotherapy for depression that reported results for social functioning at post-treatment. Only studies that compared psychotherapy to a control condition were included (31 studies with 2956 patients).

Results

The effect size of psychotherapy on social functioning was small to moderate, before [Hedges' g = 0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.32–0.60] and after adjusting for publication bias (g = 0.40, 95% CI 0.25–0.55). Univariate moderator analyses revealed that studies using care as usual as a control group versus other control groups yielded lower effect sizes, whereas studies conducted in the USA versus other countries and studies that used clinician-rated instruments versus self-report yielded higher effect sizes. Higher quality studies yielded lower effect sizes whereas the number of treatment sessions and the effect size of depressive symptoms were positively related to the effect size of social functioning. When controlling for these and additional characteristics simultaneously in multivariate meta-regression, the effect size of depressive symptoms, treatment format and number of sessions were significant predictors. The effect size of social functioning remained marginally significant, indicating that improvements in social functioning are not fully explained by improvements in depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

Psychotherapy for depression results in small to moderate improvements in social functioning. These improvements are strongly associated with, but not fully explained by, improvements in depressive symptoms.

Keywords

Depressionmeta-analysispsychotherapysocial functioning
Type
Review Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 44 , Issue 14 , October 2014 , pp. 2913 - 2926
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allart-van Dam, E, Hosman, CMH, Hoogduin, CAL, Schaap, CPDR (2003). The coping with depression course: short-term outcomes and mediating effects of a randomized controlled trial in the treatment of subclinical depression. Behavior Therapy 34, 381–396.Google Scholar
Barth, J, Munder, T, Gerger, H, Nüesch, E, Trelle, S, Znoj, H, Jüni, P, Cuijpers, P (2013). Comparative efficacy of seven psychotherapeutic interventions for patients with depression: a network meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine 10, e1 001 454.Google Scholar
Battle, CL, Uebelacker, L, Friedman, MA, Cardemil, EV, Beevers, CG, Miller, IW (2010). Treatment goals of depressed outpatients: a qualitative investigation of goals identified by participants in a depression treatment trial. Journal of Psychiatric Practice 16, 425–430.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berger, T, Hämmerli, K, Gubser, N, Andersson, G, Caspar, F (2011). Internet-based treatment of depression: a randomized controlled trial comparing guided with unguided self-help. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy 40, 251–266.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bosc, M (2000). Assessment of social functioning in depression. Comprehensive Psychiatry 41, 63–69.Google Scholar
Choi, I, Zou, J, Titov, N, Dear, BF, Li, S, Johnston, L, Andrews, G, Hunt, C (2012). Culturally attuned internet treatment for depression amongst Chinese Australians: a randomised controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders 136, 459–468.Google Scholar
Coryell, W, Scheftner, W, Keller, M, Endicott, J (1993). The enduring psychosocial consequences of mania and depression. American Journal of Psychiatry 150, 720–727.Google Scholar
Cuijpers, P, Huibers, M, Daniel Ebert, D, Koole, SL, Andersson, G (2013). How much psychotherapy is needed to treat depression? A metaregression analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders 149, 1–13.Google Scholar
Cuijpers, P, Li, J, Hofmann, SG, Andersson, G (2010). Self-reported versus clinician-rated symptoms of depression as outcome measures in psychotherapy research on depression: a meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review 30, 768–778.Google Scholar
Cuijpers, P, van Straten, A, Andersson, G, van Oppen, P (2008 a). Psychotherapy for depression in adults: a meta-analysis of comparative outcome studies. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 76, 909–922.Google Scholar
Cuijpers, P, van Straten, A, Warmerdam, L (2008 b). Are individual and group treatments equally effective in the treatment of depression in adults? A meta-analysis. European Journal of Psychiatry 22, 38–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cuijpers, P, van Straten, A, Warmerdam, L, Andersson, G (2008 c). Psychological treatment of depression: a meta-analytic database of randomized studies. BMC Psychiatry 8, 36.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cuijpers, P, van Straten, A, Warmerdam, L, Smits, N (2008 d). Characteristics of effective psychological treatments of depression: a metaregression analysis. Psychotherapy Research 18, 225–236.Google Scholar
Dobkin, RD, Menza, M, Allen, LA, Gara, MA, Mark, MH, Tiu, J, Bienfait, KL, Friedman, J (2011). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression in Parkinson's disease: a randomized, controlled trial. American Journal of Psychiatry 168, 1066–1074.Google Scholar
Dowrick, C, Dunn, G, Ayuso-Mateos, JL, Dalgard, OS, Page, H, Lehtinen, V, Casey, P, Wilkinson, C, Vazquez-Barquero, JL, Wilkinson, G (2000). Problem solving treatment and group psychoeducation for depression: multicentre randomised controlled trial. Outcomes of Depression International Network (ODIN) Group. British Medical Journal 321, 1450–1454.Google Scholar
Dunn, TW, Vittengl, JR, Clark, LA, Carmody, T, Thase, ME, Jarrett, RB (2012). Change in psychosocial functioning and depressive symptoms during acute-phase cognitive therapy for depression. Psychological Medicine 42, 317–326.Google Scholar
Duval, S, Tweedie, R (2000). Trim and fill: a simple funnel-plot-based method of testing and adjusting for publication bias in meta-analysis. Biometrics 56, 455–463.Google Scholar
Eaton, WW, Martins, SS, Nestadt, G, Bienvenu, OJ, Clarke, D, Alexandre, P (2008). The burden of mental disorders. Epidemiologic Reviews 30, 1–14.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ekers, D, Richards, D, McMillan, D, Bland, JM, Gilbody, S (2011). Behavioural activation delivered by the nonspecialist: Phase II randomised controlled trial. British Journal of Psychiatry 198, 66–72.Google Scholar
Faramarzi, M, Kheirkhah, F, Esmaelzadeh, S, Alipour, A, Hjiahmadi, M, Rahnama, J (2008). Is psychotherapy a reliable alternative to pharmacotherapy to promote the mental health of infertile women? A randomized clinical trial. European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology 141, 49–53.Google Scholar
Fledderus, M, Bohlmeijer, ET, Pieterse, ME, Schreurs, KMG (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy as guided self-help for psychological distress and positive mental health: a randomized controlled trial. Psychological Medicine 42, 485–495.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Greenberg, PE, Kessler, RC, Birnbaum, HG, Leong, SA, Lowe, SW, Berglund, PA, Corey-Lisle, PK (2003). The economic burden of depression in the United States: how did it change between 1990 and 2000? Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 64, 1465–1475.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grote, NK, Swartz, HA, Geibel, SL, Zuckoff, A, Houck, PR, Frank, E (2009). A randomized controlled trial of culturally relevant, brief interpersonal psychotherapy for perinatal depression. Psychiatric Services 60, 313–321.Google Scholar
Haringsma, R, Engels, GI, Cuijpers, P, Spinhoven, P (2006). Effectiveness of the Coping With Depression (CWD) course for older adults provided by the community-based mental health care system in the Netherlands: a randomized controlled field trial. International Psychogeriatrics 18, 307–325.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harley, R, Sprich, S, Safren, S, Jacobo, M, Fava, M (2008). Adaptation of dialectical behavior therapy skills training group for treatment-resistant depression. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 196, 136–143.Google Scholar
Hays, RD, Wells, KB, Sherbourne, C, Rogers, W, Spritzer, K (1995). Functioning and well-being outcomes of patients with depression compared with chronic general medical illnesses. Archives of General Psychiatry 52, 11–19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hedges, LV, Olkin, I (1985). Statistical Methods for Meta-Analysis. Academic Press: San Diego, CA.Google Scholar
Higgins, JPT, Altman, DG, Gøtzsche, PC, Jüni, P, Moher, D, Oxman, AD, Savović, J, Schulz, KF, Weeks, L, Sterne, JAC (2011). The Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials. British Medical Journal 343, d5928.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Higgins, JPT, Thompson, SG, Deeks, JJ, Altman, DG (2003). Measuring inconsistency in meta-analyses. British Medical Journal 327, 557–560.Google Scholar
Hirschfeld, RMA, Montgomery, SA, Keller, MB, Kasper, S, Schatzberg, AF, Möller, H-J, Healy, D, Baldwin, D, Humble, M, Versiani, M, Montenegro, R, Bourgeois, M (2000). Social functioning in depression: a review. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 61, 268–275.Google Scholar
Horowitz, LM, Alden, LE, Wiggins, JS, Pincus, AL (2000). Inventory of Interpersonal Problems Manual. Harcourt Assessment, The Psychological Corporation: Oxford, UK.Google Scholar
Judd, LL, Akiskal, HS, Zeller, PJ, Paulus, M, Leon, AC, Maser, JD, Endicott, J, Coryell, W, Kunovac, JL, Mueller, TI, Rice, JP, Keller, MB (2000). Psychosocial disability during the long-term course of unipolar major depressive disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry 57, 375–380.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kazdin, AE (2007). Mediators and mechanisms of change in psychotherapy research. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology 3, 1–27.Google Scholar
Klein, MH, Greist, JH, Gurman, AS, Neimeyer, RA, Lesser, DP, Bushnell, NJ, Smith, RE (1985). A comparative outcome study of group psychotherapy vs. exercise treatments for depression. International Journal of Mental Health 13, 148–177.Google Scholar
Laidlaw, K, Davidson, K, Toner, H, Jackson, G, Clark, S, Law, J, Howley, M, Bowie, G, Connery, H, Cross, S (2008). A randomised controlled trial of cognitive behaviour therapy vs treatment as usual in the treatment of mild to moderate late life depression. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 23, 843–850.Google Scholar
Leon, AC, Solomon, DA, Mueller, TI, Turvey, CL, Endicott, J, Keller, MB (1999). The Range of Impaired Functioning Tool (LIFE-RIFT): a brief measure of functional impairment. Psychological Medicine 29, 869–878.Google Scholar
Lynch, D, Tamburrino, M, Nagel, R, Smith, MK (2004). Telephone-based treatment for family practice patients with mild depression. Psychological Reports 94, 785–792.Google Scholar
Lynch, DJ, Tamburrino, MB, Nagel, R (1997). Telephone counseling for patients with minor depression: preliminary findings in a family practice setting. Journal of Family Practice 44, 293–298.Google Scholar
Miller, L, Weissman, M (2002). Interpersonal psychotherapy delivered over the telephone to recurrent depressives : a pilot study. Depression and Anxiety 16, 114–117.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mintz, J, Mintz, LI, Arruda, MJ, Hwang, SS (1992). Treatments of depression and the functional capacity to work. Archives of General Psychiatry 49, 761–768.Google Scholar
Miranda, J, Chung, JY, Green, BL, Krupnick, J, Siddique, J, Revicki, DA, Belin, T (2003). Treating depression in predominantly low-income young minority women: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association 290, 57–65.Google Scholar
Mynors-Wallis, LM, Gath, DH, Lloyd-Thomas, AR, Tomlinson, D (1995). Randomised controlled trial comparing problem solving treatment with amitriptyline and placebo for major depression in primary care. British Medical Journal 310, 441–445.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neugebauer, R, Kline, J, Markowitz, JC, Bleiberg, KL, Baxi, L, Rosing, MA, Levin, B, Keith, J (2006). Pilot randomized controlled trial of interpersonal counseling for subsyndromal depression following miscarriage. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 67, 1299–1304.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
O'Hara, MW, Stuart, S, Gorman, LL, Wenzel, A (2000). Efficacy of interpersonal psychotherapy for postpartum depression. Archives of General Psychiatry 57, 1039–1045.Google Scholar
ONS (2012). Sickness Absence in the Labour Market, April 2012. Office for National Statistics (www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171776_265016.pdf).Google Scholar
Perini, S, Titov, N, Andrews, G (2009). Clinician-assisted internet-based treatment is effective for depression: randomized controlled trial. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 43, 571–578.Google Scholar
Propst, LR, Ostrom, R, Watkins, P, Dean, T, Mashburn, D (1992). Comparative efficacy of religious and nonreligious cognitive-behavioral therapy for the treatment of clinical depression in religious individuals. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 60, 94–103.Google Scholar
Scott, J, Teasdale, JD, Paykel, ES, Johnson, AL, Abbott, R, Hayhurst, H, Moore, R, Garland, A (2000). Effects of cognitive therapy on psychological symptoms and social functioning in residual depression. British Journal of Psychiatry 177, 440–446.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Serfaty, MA, Haworth, D, Blanchard, M, Buszewicz, M, Murad, S, King, M (2009). Clinical effectiveness of individual cognitive behavioral therapy for depressed older people in primary care: a randomized controlled trial. Archives of General Psychiatry 66, 1332–1340.Google Scholar
Sheehan, D (1983). The Anxiety Disease. Scribner's: New York.Google Scholar
Simpson, S, Corney, R, Fitzgerald, P, Beecham, J (2003). A randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of psychodynamic counselling for general practice patients with chronic depression. Psychological Medicine 33, 229–239.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Solomon, DA, Leon, AC, Endicott, J, Mueller, TI, Coryell, W, Shea, MT, Keller, MB (2004). Psychosocial impairment and recurrence of major depression. Comprehensive Psychiatry 45, 423–430.Google Scholar
Talbot, NL, Chaudron, LH, Ward, EA, Duberstein, PR, Conwell, Y, O'Hara, MW, Tu, X, Lu, N, He, H, Stuart, S (2011). A randomized effectiveness trial of interpersonal psychotherapy for depressed women with sexual abuse histories. Psychiatric Services 62, 374–380.Google Scholar
van Schaik, A, van Marwijk, H, Adèr, H, van Dyck, R, de Haan, M, Penninx, B, van der Kooij, K, van Hout, H, Beekman, A (2006). Interpersonal psychotherapy for elderly patients in primary care. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 14, 777–786.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vitriol, VG, Ballesteros, ST, Florenzano, RU, Weil, KP, Benadof, DF (2009). Evaluation of an outpatient intervention for women with severe depression and a history of childhood trauma. Psychiatric Services 60, 936–942.Google Scholar
Vittengl, JR, Clark, LA, Jarrett, RB (2004). Improvement in social-interpersonal functioning after cognitive therapy for recurrent depression. Psychological Medicine 34, 643–658.Google Scholar
Vittengl, JR, Clark, LA, Jarrett, RB (2009). Deterioration in psychosocial functioning predicts relapse/recurrence after cognitive therapy for depression. Journal of Affective Disorders 112, 135–143.Google Scholar
Ward, E, King, M, Lloyd, M, Bower, P, Sibbald, B, Farrelly, S, Gabbay, M, Tarrier, N, Addington-Hall, J (2000). Randomised controlled trial of non-directive counselling, cognitive-behaviour therapy, and usual general practitioner care for patients with depression. I: Clinical effectiveness. British Medical Journal 321, 1383–1388.Google Scholar
Ware, JE Jr., Sherbourne, CD (1992). The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36). I. Conceptual framework and item selection. Medical Care 30, 473–483.Google Scholar
Watkins, JT, Leber, WR, Imber, SD, Collins, JF, Elkin, I, Pilkonis, PA, Sotsky, SM, Shea, MT, Glass, DR (1993). Temporal course of change of depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 61, 858–864.Google Scholar
Watt, LM, Cappeliez, P (2000). Integrative and instrumental reminiscence therapies for depression in older adults: intervention strategies and treatment effectiveness. Aging and Mental Health 4, 166–177.Google Scholar
Weissman, M, Markowitz, J, Klerman, G (2000). Comprehensive Guide to Interpersonal Psychotherapy. Basic Books: New York.Google Scholar
Weissman, MM, Prusoff, BA, Thompson, WD, Harding, PS, Myers, JK (1978). Social adjustment by self-report in a community sample and in psychiatric outpatients. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 166, 317–326.Google Scholar
WHO (1948). Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19–22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948. World Health Organization: Geneva.Google Scholar
Zimmerman, M, McGlinchey, JB, Posternak, MA, Friedman, M, Attiullah, M, Boerescu, D (2006). How should remission from depression be defined? The depressed patient's perspective. American Journal of Psychiatry 163, 148–150.Google Scholar