Group-Based Relaxation Response Skills Training for Pharmacologically-Resistant Depressed and Anxious Patients.
BACKGROUND
Drug-resistance for depression and anxiety is a major limitation in the treatment of these common disorders, and adjunct support interventions may be beneficial in the treatment of these patients.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a short-term (8 session) Relaxation Response Skills Training (RRST) programme for a population of psychiatric outpatients with anxiety and mood disorders who were unresponsive to drug treatment, and to test the feasibility of this intervention as complementary treatment for a psychiatric setting.


METHODS
Forty patients were measured for overall psychopathological symptoms, depression, and anxiety, and were then given an 8-week course of RRST, while continuing their pharmacological treatment. Following the RRST intervention, participants were again assessed.


RESULTS
The results demonstrated reductions in overall symptoms (large effect size and reasonable clinically significant change), and also in depression and anxiety (medium effect sizes and clinically significant change).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that this short-term RRT offers a simple and cost-effective way to augment drug management for participants with common psychiatric disorders who are less responsive to the drug treatment.
Universita Degli Studi di Milano,Italy.
Roberto
R
Truzoli
Universita Degli Studi di Milano,Italy.
Cecilia
C
Rovetta
Universita Degli Studi di Milano,Italy.
Caterina
C
Viganò
Universita Degli Studi di Milano,Italy.
Paola Marianna
PM
Marinaccio
Universita Degli Studi di Milano,Italy.
Gabriella
G
Ba
Swansea University,UK.
Phil
P
Reed
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000379:methods*
anxiety; depression; drug resistance; relaxation training