The treatment of depression: An integrative psychotherapy model

Two approaches for the treatment of depression: (a) an integrated approach using key components of Existential-Humanistic and Cognitive Psychotherapies (EHC) and (b) Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), were compared with a control group in group settings for a period of 12 weeks.;A review of literature on CBT as well as several of the existential therapeutic approaches served to establish the rationale for this study. The study required the integration of several therapeutic applications from the propositions of existential-humanism into a CBT base leading to the development of the EHC approach. It was predicted that EHC in group settings would provide greater alleviation from the suffering of clinical depression than would either CBT or the control group.;The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS), and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Index - 2, Depression scale (MMPI-2) provided baseline measurements of all participants prior to commencing the study. A 3 x 4 split plot experimental design was used to implement the study. The BDI and the MMPI-2 D scale were administered every 4 weeks to assess any differences associated with treatments.;The hypothesized treatment effects were tested by means of a multivariate analysis of covariance. Preliminary analyses established equivalence of groups and rationale for multivariate analyses. Results of the analysis indicated that the EHC group consistently and significantly outperformed the control group on all dependent measures assessing alleviation of depressive symptoms from the 4th week through the 12th week. A consistent pattern of improvement was shown across all groups over the course of the experiment. Though not significantly different, the EHC group showed a tendency to outperform the CBT group, which within the general context of these findings may have both practical and therapeutic significance for the treatment of depression. Demographic variable differences were not associated with reduction of depressive symptoms among participants.