title: Clinical study results from a randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioural guided self-help in patients with partially remitted depressive disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cognitive behavioural guided self-help has been shown to be effective in mild and moderate depressive disorder. It is not known, however, if it is effective in individuals with partially remitted depressive disorder, which is a serious clinical problem in up to 50-60% of treated patients. This study is the first one to examine the clinical benefit of this intervention in this patient population.
  
  
  METHODS
  For the purpose of this study, a single-blind, randomized controlled design was used.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomized 90 individuals with partially remitted depressive disorder either to cognitive behavioural guided self-help plus psychopharmacotherapy (n = 49) or psychopharmacotherapy alone (n = 41). They were clinically assessed at regular intervals with ratings of depressive symptoms and stress-coping strategies over a 3-week run-in period and a 6-week treatment period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 6 weeks, intention-to-treat analysis (n = 90) showed that patients treated with cognitive behavioural guided self-help plus psychopharmacotherapy did not have significantly lower scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression (17-item version; HRSD-17) and on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) compared to patients treated with psychopharmacotherapy alone. When negative stress-coping strategies were considered, there was a significant difference between the two groups at the end of treatment with respect to the BDI but not to the HRSD-17.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Guided self-help did not lead to a significant reduction in symptom severity in patients with partially remitted depressive disorder after a 6-week intervention. However, the intervention leads to a reduction of negative stress-coping strategies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cognitive behavioural guided self-help did not significantly improve depressive symptoms measured with the Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression (17-item version; HRSD-17) in patients with partially remitted depressive disorder. Improvements were found in reducing negative stress-coping strategies for those allocated to the cognitive behavioural guided self-help, which significantly improved Beck Depression Inventory but not HRSD-17. These findings suggest that cognitive behavioural guided self-help may offer some assistance in managing negative stress-coping strategies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biological Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlögelhofer
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Willinger
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wiesegger
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eder
authors.forename: Margrit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Priesch
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Itzlinger
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bailer
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schosser
authors.forename: Friedrich
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leisch
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aschauer
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057194:Intention to Treat Analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012074:Remission Induction; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents