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Befriending as an intervention for chronic depression among women in an inner city

2: Role of fresh-start experiences and baseline psychosocial factors in remission from depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Tirril Harris ,
George W Brown  and
Ruth Robinson
Tirril Harris*
Affiliation:
Socio-Medical Research Centre, Royal Holloway, University of London
George W Brown
Affiliation:
Socio-Medical Research Centre, Royal Holloway, University of London
Ruth Robinson
Affiliation:
Socio-Medical Research Centre, Royal Holloway, University of London
*
Tirril Harris, Medical Research Centre, Guy's, King's and St Thomas's Schools of Medicine, St Thomas's Campus, The Dudgeon, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EH. Tel: 0171 928 9292
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Abstract

Background

Volunteer befriending promoted remission of chronic depression when clinical and other treatment variables were controlled.

Aims

To examine the role of other psychosocial factors relevant for outcome.

Method

Factors measured at baseline interview were examined in multivariate analyses along with psychosocial factors occurring during follow-up, such as ‘fresh-start’ experiences and new severe events and difficulties.

Results

Fresh-start experiences and a standard attachment style were found to enhance chances of remission, with new severe stressors and markedly poor coping strategies liable to prevent it, with volunteer befriending continuing to play a role.

Conclusions

The positive result reported in the preceding paper is unlikely to be an artefact. However, fresh-start experiences, absence of new severe stressors and standard attachment style were more important predictors of remission. This knowledge might profitably be incorporated into the evaluation of existing treatments.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 174 , Issue 3 , March 1999 , pp. 225 - 232
Copyright
Copyright © 1999 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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Footnotes

†

See Paper 1, pp. 219–224, this issue.

Declaration of interest

Research supported by the Medical Research Council. Befriending service funded by contributions from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the King's Fund, the Mental Health Foundation, North Thames Regional Health Authority and the Baring Foundation.

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