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Dialectical behavior therapy for depressed older adults: a randomized pilot study.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Lynch, TR; Morse, JQ; Mendelson, T; Robins, CJ
Published in: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry
2003

OBJECTIVE: Although there is evidence for the efficacy of antidepressants and for some individual and group psychotherapy interventions for depressed older adults, a significant number of these do not respond to treatment. Authors assessed the benefits of augmenting medication with group psychotherapy. METHODS: They randomly assigned 34 (largely chronically) depressed individuals age 60 and older to receive 28 weeks of antidepressant medication plus clinical management, either alone (MED) or with the addition of dialectical behavior therapy skills-training and scheduled telephone coaching sessions (MED+DBT). RESULTS: Only MED+DBT showed significant decreases on mean self-rated depression scores, and both treatment groups demonstrated significant and roughly equivalent decreases on interviewer-rated depression scores. However, on interviewer-rated depression, 71% of MED+DBT patients were in remission at post-treatment, in contrast to 47% of MED patients. At a 6-month follow-up, 75% of MED+DBT patients were in remission, compared with only 31% of MED patients, a significant difference. Only patients receiving MED+DBT showed significant improvements from pre- to post-treatment on dependency and adaptive coping that are proposed to create vulnerability to depression. CONCLUSION: Results from this pilot study suggest that DBT skills training and telephone coaching may offer promise to effectively augment the effects of antidepressant medication in depressed older adults.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Am J Geriatr Psychiatry

ISSN

1064-7481

Publication Date

2003

Volume

11

Issue

1

Start / End Page

33 / 45

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Psychotherapy, Group
  • Pilot Projects
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Geriatrics
  • Female
  • Depressive Disorder
  • Chronic Disease
  • Behavior Therapy
 

Citation

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MLA
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Lynch, T. R., Morse, J. Q., Mendelson, T., & Robins, C. J. (2003). Dialectical behavior therapy for depressed older adults: a randomized pilot study. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, 11(1), 33–45.
Lynch, Thomas R., Jennifer Q. Morse, Tamar Mendelson, and Clive J. Robins. “Dialectical behavior therapy for depressed older adults: a randomized pilot study.Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 11, no. 1 (2003): 33–45.
Lynch TR, Morse JQ, Mendelson T, Robins CJ. Dialectical behavior therapy for depressed older adults: a randomized pilot study. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2003;11(1):33–45.
Lynch, Thomas R., et al. “Dialectical behavior therapy for depressed older adults: a randomized pilot study.Am J Geriatr Psychiatry, vol. 11, no. 1, 2003, pp. 33–45.
Lynch TR, Morse JQ, Mendelson T, Robins CJ. Dialectical behavior therapy for depressed older adults: a randomized pilot study. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2003;11(1):33–45.
Journal cover image

Published In

Am J Geriatr Psychiatry

ISSN

1064-7481

Publication Date

2003

Volume

11

Issue

1

Start / End Page

33 / 45

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Psychotherapy, Group
  • Pilot Projects
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Geriatrics
  • Female
  • Depressive Disorder
  • Chronic Disease
  • Behavior Therapy