A 2005 study conducted by Bockting et. al. (in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychologydepression fared with a cognitive therapy group option added to their regular, ongoing treatments. Ongoing, regular treatments included individual psychotherapy, medication or a combination thereof.
The results of the study showed a relapse rate of 46% for the cognitive group therapy condition, while those in the "treatment as usual" group had a 72% relapse rate. This study suggests that the inclusion of cognitive group therapy as a part of the standard treatment of recurrent major depression is likely a cost- and time-effective option to consider.
The key to this treatment being effective, however, is the training of the cognitive therapists who run the groups. They must be well-trained in cognitive therapeutic techniques and stick to them in each of the group sessions. This treatment proved effective after just 8 sessions of this cognitive group therapy. You'd be hard pressed to find more effective, efficient treatment methods for the prevention of relapse of major depression.
Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.Like this author?
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 13 Feb 2006
Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.
Grohol, J. (2006). Preventing Relapse in Depression with Cognitive Therapy. Psych Central. Retrieved on February 14, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2006/02/13/preventing-relapse-in-depression-with-cognitive-therapy/
