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Comparative efficacy of behavioral and cognitive treatments of depression

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Abstract

Twenty-five depressed subjects were allocated to either behavioral treatment, cognitive treatment, or no-treatment conditions for an 8-week period. Measures of depressive-related symptomatology and treatment-related target areas were administered prior to treatment, at midtreatment, and immediately following treatment. Depression was also assessed at a 5-month follow-up. Marked improvement was observed on most measures across the treatment period in both treatment conditions but not in the notreatment condition. Cognitive and behavioral treatments were found to be equally effective in alleviating depression. Treatment effects were maintained at the follow-up. At all but the midtreatment assessment, the two treatments were found to have an equivalent impact on treatment-related target areas. Various explanations of the results are offered, including the role of nonspecific treatment factors.

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Reference Note

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Sydney, 2006, N.S.W., Australia

    Peter H. Wilson

  2. University of New South Wales, UK

    June C. Goldin & Marie Charbonneau-Powis

Authors
  1. Peter H. Wilson
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  2. June C. Goldin
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  3. Marie Charbonneau-Powis
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Additional information

The authors would like to thank Michael Nicholas and Lea Crisante for their assistance in the therapy procedures.

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Wilson, P.H., Goldin, J.C. & Charbonneau-Powis, M. Comparative efficacy of behavioral and cognitive treatments of depression. Cogn Ther Res 7, 111–124 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01190064

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