Psychoeducational interventions targeting core symptoms to achieve remission and prevent relapses and recurrence in depression.
Year: 2008
Type: article
Abstract: Depressive disorders have a high prevalence and incidence, and are associated with a huge burden of disease and economic costs. Most respond satisfactorily to drug therapy and/or psychological intervention, in particular to psychoeducation. By far the best-studied example of this approach is the Coping With Depression course (CWD). Widely used in several countries, the CWD comprises 8 to 16 sessions, targets the core symptoms of depressed mood and anhedonia, and can be delivered in individual, group, or guided self-help formats. It is a highly structured cognitive-behavioral intervention based on social learning theory. The therapist is essentially an instructor and participants are students rather than patients; there is no traditional psychotherapeutic relationship between the two. The CWD is highly flexible and can be adapted to a variety of contents, target populations, and goals, including the treatment of established disease, and primary and secondary prevention. Randomized studies have shown that it lowers the incidence of depressive disorders in subthreshold depression, relieves existing depressive disorders, and may also reduce the relapse rate. It is also more effective in mild-to-moderate depression, in subjects with higher expectations of its results, those receiving more social support, and those who feel in control of their lives. Delivery over the Internet has many advantages and is becoming increasingly common.
Author: Pim Cuijpers
Language: English
Subfield: Applied Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2152035845