Pattern of changes during treatment: a comparison between a positive psychology intervention and a cognitive behavioral treatment for clinical depression

ABSTRACT

Research on psychotherapy has traditionally focused on analyzing changes between the beginning and the end of a treatment. Few studies have addressed the pattern of therapeutic change during treatment. The aim of this study was to examine the pattern of changes in clinical and well-being variables during a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program compared with an integrative positive psychology interventions program for clinical depression IPPI-D. 128 women with a diagnosis of major depression or dysthymia were assigned to the CBT or PPI group. A measure of depressive symptoms (i.e., Beck Depression Inventory) and well-being (i.e., Pemberton Happiness Index) were administered four times: at the beginning and end of the treatment, as well as during treatment (at sessions 4 and 7). Through mixed-model repeated measures ANOVAs, both depressive symptoms (p < .001, partial η2 = .52) and well-being (p < .001, partial η2 = .29) showed a significant improvement through the four assessment times. No significant interactions between time and treatment modality were found (ps > .08). The percentage of improvement in depressive symptoms in the first treatment period was higher than in the later ones (ps < .005). On the contrary, well-being showed a more gradual improvement (p = .15). These results highlight the importance of assessing the pattern of changes in symptoms and well-being separately (AU)

RESUMEN

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