Response to cognitive-behavioral therapy in chronic depression

Abstract

To study the effectiveness of psychotherapy for chronic depression, outcomes were examined for 62 men treated in a 16-week cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) protocol. Forty patients with acute major depression were compared with 22 patients with chronic depression who met DSM-III-R criteria for either major depression superimposed on dysthymic disorder ('double depression,' n = 15) or chronic major depression (episodes of ≥ 2 years' duration; n = 7). Chronically depressed patients had slower and less complete responses to CBT, paralleling prior findings for antidepressant pharmacotherapy. Modified or intensified CBT may be needed for better results with chronic depression. The effectiveness in chronic depression of other forms of psychotherapy, alone and combined with pharmacotherapy, requires study.