Meaning-Based Psychotherapy for Participants with Depression: A Feasibility Pilot Study

Abstract

Depression is the most prevalent mental disorder in the population worldwide. A systematic review of meaning-based psychotherapies (MBPs) for depression has shown their efficacy in improving depression. However, to date, all the studies on the efficacy of MBP have been carried out in English-speaking countries. The construction of meaning in life depends on cultural, social, and religious factors, and so it is necessary to adapt MBPs and verify their effectiveness in samples that speak languages other than English, such as Spanish. The aim of the study reported was to analyze the feasibility of MBPs in Spanish participants with depression. The sample was composed of 30 participants who met the DSM5 criteria for depressive disorders, 20 of whom completed MBP. Qualitative and quantitative outcomes were measured. The participants indicated that MBP was useful, that they were very satisfied with the intervention, and that they would highly recommend it to other people with depression. At the end of the treatment, there was a reduction in depression and anxiety and an increase of meaning in life. The change in depression was highly associated with the change in meaning in life. MBP is a feasible intervention for Spanish participants with depression.