The effects of once- versus twice-weekly sessions on psychotherapy outcomes in depressed patients
2020/02/07 by Sanne J. E. Bruijniks, Lotte H. J. M. Lemmens, Lotte H.J.M. Lemmens +15 · 28 citations
Psychology · Medicine · #Digital Mental Health Interventions #Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications #Treatment of Major Depression
paper · pdf · doi:10.1192/bjp.2019.265
Abstract
BACKGROUND: It is unclear what session frequency is most effective in cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) for depression. AIMS: Compare the effects of once weekly and twice weekly sessions of CBT and IPT for depression. METHOD: We conducted a multicentre randomised trial from November 2014 through December 2017. We recruited 200 adults with depression across nine specialised mental health centres in the Netherlands. This study used a 2 × 2 factorial design, randomising patients to once or twice weekly sessions of CBT or IPT over 16-24 weeks, up to a maximum of 20 sessions. Main outcome measures were depression severity, measured with the Beck Depression Inventory-II at baseline, before session 1, and 2 weeks, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 months after start of the intervention. Intention-to-treat analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Compared with patients who received weekly sessions, patients who received twice weekly sessions showed a statistically significant decrease in depressive symptoms (estimated mean difference between weekly and twice weekly sessions at month 6: 3.85 points, difference in effect size d = 0.55), lower attrition rates (n = 16 compared with n = 32) and an increased rate of response (hazard ratio 1.48, 95% CI 1.00-2.18). CONCLUSIONS: In clinical practice settings, delivery of twice weekly sessions of CBT and IPT for depression is a way to improve depression treatment outcomes.
Cited by
- Innovations to improve outcomes and uptake of psychotherapies for mental disorders: a state‐of‐the‐art review
- Four Decades of Psychological Treatment for Bulimia Nervosa and Binge‐Eating Disorder: A Meta‐Regression of Changes in Abstinence Rates Over Time
- Less dropout from prolonged exposure sessions prescribed at least twice weekly: A meta‐analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled trials
- Retiring, Rethinking, and Reconstructing the Norm of Once-Weekly Psychotherapy. [europepmc]
- A pragmatic factorial randomized controlled trial of transdiagnostic internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy: Exploring benefits of homework reflection questionnaires and twice-weekly therapist support. [europepmc]
- On the Road to Personalized Psychotherapy: A Research Agenda Based on Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Depression. [europepmc]
- Delivering Imagery Rescripting via Telehealth: Clinical Concerns, Benefits, and Recommendations. [europepmc]
- Intensive outpatient treatment for PTSD: a pilot feasibility study combining prolonged exposure therapy, EMDR, physical activity, and psychoeducation. [europepmc]
- The effects of psychological treatment of perinatal depression: an overview. [europepmc]
- Internet Cognitive Behavioral Therapy With or Without Face-to-Face Psychotherapy: A 12-Weeks Clinical Trial of Patients With Depression. [europepmc]
- Protocol for a sequential, multiple assignment, randomised trial to test the effectiveness of message-based psychotherapy for depression compared with telepsychotherapy. [europepmc]
- Evaluation of the Effect of Comprehensive Nursing in Psychotherapy of Patients with Depression. [europepmc]
- The effect of twice-weekly versus once-weekly sessions of either imagery rescripting or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for adults with PTSD from childhood trauma (IREM-Freq): a study protocol for an international randomized clinical trial. [europepmc]
- Intensive outpatient treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder: a thematic analysis of patient experience. [europepmc]
- Predictors of Disengagement and Symptom Improvement Among Adults With Depression Enrolled in Talkspace, a Technology-Mediated Psychotherapy Platform: Naturalistic Observational Study. [europepmc]
- Sequential Interventions for Major Depression and Heart Failure Self-Care: A Randomized Clinical Trial. [europepmc]
- Intensive outpatient treatment for PTSD: an open trial combining prolonged exposure therapy, EMDR, and physical activity. [europepmc]
- Acceptability and Outcomes of Transdiagnostic Guided Self-help Bibliotherapy for Internalizing Disorder Symptoms in Adults: A Fully Remote Nationwide Open Trial. [europepmc]
- Barriers and enablers for young people, parents and therapists undertaking behavioural activation for depression: A qualitative evaluation within a randomised controlled trial. [europepmc]
- Expectation focused and frequency enhanced cognitive behavioural therapy for patients with major depression (EFFECT): a study protocol of a randomised active-control trial. [europepmc]
- Individual psychotherapy for cluster-C personality disorders: protocol of a pragmatic RCT comparing short-term psychodynamic supportive psychotherapy, affect phobia therapy and schema therapy (I-FORCE). [europepmc]
- The difference between shorter- versus longer-term psychotherapy for adult mental health disorders: a systematic review with meta-analysis. [europepmc]
- Identifying active ingredients in cognitive-behavioral therapies: What if we didn't? [europepmc]
- Efficacy and safety of zuranolone co-initiated with an antidepressant in adults with major depressive disorder: results from the phase 3 CORAL study. [europepmc]
- What to do when the unwanted happens? Negative event management in studies on internet- and mobile-based interventions for youths and adults with two case reports. [europepmc]
- A scoping review of the literature on the application and usefulness of the Problem Management Plus (PM+) intervention around the world. [europepmc]
- Web-Based, Human-Guided, or Computer-Guided Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in University Students With Anxiety and Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial. [europepmc]
- Transcranial focused ultrasound targeting the default mode network for the treatment of depression. [europepmc]
Related