"Coping with depression": an open study of the efficacy of a group psychoeducational intervention in chronic, treatment-refractory depression.
BACKGROUND
Failure to respond to antidepressant medication represents a major clinical problem. Few therapeutic interventions have been shown to benefit such individuals.


METHODS
Patients attended a 12-session psychoeducational programme over a period of 10 weeks, with follow-up at 26 weeks. The main outcome measures were the self-report Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), the Global Severity Index (GSI) of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and the EuroQol 5D.


RESULTS
Baseline assessments confirmed substantial chronicity and treatment resistance, high symptom burden and poor quality of life in the study cohort. Twenty-six week follow-up data were obtained from 34% of cohort. Completion of the course was associated with clinically significant changes in symptom burden. Sustained remission was achieved by 35% of completers.


CONCLUSIONS
We did not characterise the cohort using structured clinical interview and did not collect structured, objective ratings of mental health status. There was no control group. There was a high attrition rate and caution must be exercised in interpreting results.


CONCLUSIONS
For a proportion of patients with chronic depressive episodes that have not responded to antidepressant treatments, the "Coping with Depression" psychoeducational group may confer sustained and meaningful benefit. Controlled studies are warranted.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK. j.s.swan@dundee.ac.uk <j.s.swan@dundee.ac.uk>
John
J
Swan
Eleanor
E
Sorrell
Bob
B
MacVicar
Rob
R
Durham
Keith
K
Matthews
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012008:Recurrence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents