title: Emotion regulation skills training enhances the efficacy of inpatient cognitive behavioral therapy for major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deficits in emotion regulation skills are possible factors maintaining major depressive disorder (MDD). Therefore, the aim of the study was to test whether integrating a systematic emotion regulation training (ERT) enhances the efficacy of routine inpatient cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for MDD.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective randomized controlled trial, 432 inpatients meeting criteria for MDD were assigned to receive either routine CBT or CBT enriched with an intense emotion regulation skills training (CBT-ERT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants in the CBT-ERT condition demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in depression (response rates - CBT: 75.5%, CBT-ERT: 84.9%; remission rates - CBT: 51.1%, CBT-ERT: 65.1%). Moreover, CBT-ERT participants demonstrated a significantly greater reduction of negative affect, as well as a greater increase of well-being and emotion regulation skills particularly relevant for mental health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Integrating strategies that target emotion regulation skills improves the efficacy of CBT for MDD.
authors.affiliation: University of Marburg, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy Gutenbergstrasse 18 DE–35032 Marburg, Germany. berking@staff.uni-marburg.de
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berking
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ebert
authors.forename: Pim
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cuijpers
authors.forename: Stefan G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Hofmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome