Is There a Role for Continuation Phase Cognitive Therapy for Depressed Outpatients?

• Published in: Journal of consulting and clinical psychology Vol. 66; no. 6; pp. 1036 - 1040
• Main Authors: Jarrett, Robin B, Basco, Monica R, Risser, Richard, Ramanan, Janaki, Marwill, Maria, Kraft, Dolores, Rush, A. John
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Psychological Association 01-12-1998
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - methods; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - organization & administration; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - statistics & numerical data; Cognitive Therapy; Depression; Depressive Disorder - therapy; Disease-Free Survival; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Human; Humans; Major Depression; Male; Medical sciences; Mental depression; Middle Aged; Outpatient; Pilot Projects; Preventive strategies; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Relapse; Relapse (Disorders); Risk Assessment; Secondary Prevention; Therapy; Treatments; Mood disorder; Human; Relapse; Cognitive therapy; Follow up study; Treatment efficiency; Depression
• ISSN: 0022-006X; 1939-2117
• DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.66.6.1036

Two pilot studies evaluated the rate of relapse or recurrence (i.e.,
major depressive disorder) after cognitive therapy (CT). Two sequential cohorts included outpatients who responded to acute phase CT (A-CT) and who agreed to monthly,
treatment-free follow-up. In Study 1,
the Kaplan-Meier technique estimated relapse and recurrence rates of 40% at 6 months,
45% at 8 months,
50% at 12 months,
67% at 18 months,
and 74% at 24 months. In Study 2,
responders to A-CT received 8 months (10 sessions) of continuation phase CT (C-CT). In Study 2,
relapse or recurrence was 20% at 6 and 8 months,
27% at 12 months,
and 36% at 18 and 24 months after A-CT. An exploratory log-rank test showed that relapse or recurrence-free survival was greater in Study 2 than in Study 1. If replicated,
this result suggests that C-CT can reduce depressive relapse or recurrence. Alternative explanations are presented.