title: Treating major depression by creating positive expectations for the future: a pilot study for the effectiveness of future-directed therapy (FDT) on symptom severity and quality of life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This nonrandomized pilot study assesses the efficacy of a new future-oriented form of therapy, known as future-directed therapy (FDT), as a treatment for patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in a naturalistic hospital-based outpatient psychiatry clinic. The study measured symptom severity of depression and anxiety, in addition to quality of life pre- and posttreatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study examined a new manualized treatment designed to help people anticipate a more positive future. The intervention consists of twenty 90-min group sessions administered twice a week over 10 weeks. The intervention was compared to depressed patients in the same clinic who enrolled in traditional cognitive-based group psychotherapy. Sixteen patients with MDD completed the FDT intervention as part of their outpatient treatment for depression. Seventeen patients with MDD participated in treatment as usual (TAU) cognitive-based group therapy. The Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Quality-of-Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire short form, self-report instruments were administered prior to and immediately after the completion of therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients treated with FDT demonstrated significant improvements in depression (P = 0.001), anxiety (P = 0.021) and quality of life (P = 0.035), and also reported high satisfaction with the therapy. Compared to the TAU group, patients treated with FDT showed greater improvements in depressive symptoms (P = 0.049).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FDT may have the potential of becoming an additional treatment option for patients with MDD.
authors: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA. vilhauerj@cshs.org
authors: Jennice S
authors: JS
authors: Vilhauer
authors: Sabrina
authors: S
authors: Young
authors: Chanel
authors: C
authors: Kealoha
authors: Josefine
authors: J
authors: Borrmann
authors: Waguih W
authors: WW
authors: IsHak
authors: Mark H
authors: MH
authors: Rapaport
authors: Narineh
authors: N
authors: Hartoonian
authors: Jim
authors: J
authors: Mirocha
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