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The effects of cognitive behavior therapy on depression in older patients with cardiovascular risk
Author(s) -
Strachowski Diane,
Khaylis Anna,
Conrad Ansgar,
Neri Eric,
Spiegel David,
Taylor C. Barr
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
depression and anxiety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.634
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6394
pISSN - 1091-4269
DOI - 10.1002/da.20302
Subject(s) - depression (economics) , affect (linguistics) , beck depression inventory , medicine , cognitive behavioral therapy , randomized controlled trial , cognitive therapy , psychology , clinical psychology , physical therapy , psychiatry , anxiety , communication , economics , macroeconomics
This study examined the effect of a cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) therapy intervention designed to reduce depression in older patients with elevated cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Forty‐eight depressed patients with elevated CVD were randomized to a 16‐week individual CBT intervention ( n = 23) or a wait‐list control (WLC) group ( n = 25). Pre‐ and post‐treatment measures of depression were obtained during office visits, and measures of positive and negative affect were obtained during laboratory psychological stress testing and at five points during the day. At post‐treatment, the CBT subjects were significantly less depressed than WLC subjects on the Hamilton Depression Inventory ( F = 52.8, P <.001, ES = 1.85) and the Beck Depression Inventory ( F = 17.1, P = <.001, ES = 0.85). Fifty‐seven percent (13/23) of subjects in the CBT treatment were considered to be in remission (on the basis of a clinical interview) at post compared to only 4% (1/25) in the WLC (χ 2 = 9.0, P =.003). Treatment subjects reported significantly less stress on the Perceived Stress Scale ( F = 23.2, P <.001). CBT significantly improved mean positive affect during the day ( F = 12.7, P =.0001) but there were no significant differences in mean negative affect ( F = 1.8, P =.19). CBT significantly reduced negative affect ( F = 7.1, P =.01) during psychological stress testing but did not affect positive affect. CBT is an effective treatment for reducing depression and increasing positive affect in patients at risk for CVD, but the results vary by time of measurement and measurement setting. Depression and Anxiety 0:1–10, 2007. Published 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.