Cognitive changes following recovery from depression in a group cognitive-behaviour therapy program.
OBJECTIVE
We report on the changes in cognitions as a result of cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT), in 35 recovered and 32 non-recovered mood disordered patients who had undergone a 12-week group CBT program for depression.


METHODS
An end-of-therapy cut-off score of 10 on the BDI was used to define recovered and non-recovered patients. ANOVA analyses were conducted to explore possible main effects of recovery status and time on various clinical measures, including cognitions and activity levels.


RESULTS
Mean mood and activity self-rating measures were significantly higher for the recovered as compared to the non-recovered patients over the course of the program. Similarly, scores on the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ) for recovered patients were within the non-clinical range, in contrast to their non-recovered counterparts. In addition, recovered patients improved significantly in their Hopelessness scores, and there was a change in the expected direction in their Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale scores, although this was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
These results are consistent with the proposition of cognitive theory (i.e. the remediation of negative cognition plays a significant role in recovery from depression during CBT).
Oei
T P
TP
School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Toowong Private Hospital, Australia. oei@psy.uq.edu.au
Sullivan
L M
LM
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001290:Attitude; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013811:Psychotherapeutic Processes; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome