title: Comparison of cognitive-behaviour therapy with psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapy for depressed patients - a three-year follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study investigates the effectiveness of long-term psychotherapies. Cognitive-behaviour therapy was compared with psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapy in the treatment of patients with a primary diagnosis of unipolar depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective, quasi-experimental design 100 patients were compared at pre- and post-treatment and three-year follow-up. Outcome measures were the Beck Depression Inventory and Global Severity Index for measuring symptoms, the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems and the Social Support Questionnaire for measurement of social-interpersonal functioning, and the INTREX Introject Questionnaire for measuring personality structure. Comparative effectiveness of the experimental groups was analyzed using mixed models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found significant outcome differences between psychoanalytic therapy and cognitive-behaviour therapy in depressive and global psychiatric symptoms, partly social-interpersonal and personality structure at three-year follow-up. Psychodynamic therapy was superior to cognitive-behaviour therapy in the reduction of interpersonal problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychoanalytic therapy shows significantly longer-lasting effects compared to cognitive-behaviour therapy three years after termination of treatment, which is discussed as a dose-effect.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Technische Universität München, D-81545 München, Germany. d.huber@lrz.tum.de
authors.forename: Dorothea
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Henrich
authors.forename: Guenther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Klug
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires