[A group intervention for spouses of patients with depression - is it effective?].
OBJECTIVE
Spouses of patients with depression have an elevated risk to develop an affective disorder themselves. We evaluate whether a group intervention program for spouses of patients with depression does improve participants' depressive and anxiety symptoms.


METHODS
66 spouses participated in a six months intervention with 12 group sessions. 50 nonparticipants were included as a control group. We measured depressive and anxiety symptoms with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) at the beginning and the end as well as 3 and 9 months after the intervention.


RESULTS
The intervention did not cause any improvement with regard to BDI and BAI scores. Scores in the BDI and BAI were normal in most participants before the intervention. Regardless, satisfaction with the program among participants was very high.


CONCLUSIONS
The influence of the intervention concept on the wanting participation of more severely affected spouses is discussed and adaptations of the program are proposed.
Schomerus
Georg
G
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie, Universität Leipzig.
Heider
Dirk
D
Wittmund
Bettina
B
Wilms
H Ulrich
HU
Brieger
Peter
P
Nause
Bianca
B
Angermeyer
Matthias C
MC
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D035061:Control Groups; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome