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Problem-solving therapy and supportive therapy in older adults with major depression and executive dysfunction: effect on disability.

ABSTRACT: CONTEXT:Older patients with depression and executive dysfunction represent a population with significant disability and a high likelihood of failing pharmacotherapy. OBJECTIVES:To examine whether problem-solving therapy (PST) reduces disability more than does supportive therapy (ST) in older patients with depression and executive dysfunction and whether this effect is mediated by improvement in depressive symptoms. DESIGN:Randomized controlled trial. SETTING:Weill Cornell Medical College and University of California at San Francisco. PARTICIPANTS:Adults (aged >59 years) with major depression and executive dysfunction recruited between December 2002 and November 2007 and followed up for 36 weeks. Intervention Twelve sessions of PST modified for older depressed adults with executive impairment or ST. Main Outcome Measure Disability as quantified using the 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II. RESULTS:Of 653 individuals referred to this study, 221 met the inclusion criteria and were randomized to receive PST or ST. Both PST and ST led to comparable improvement in disability in the first 6 weeks of treatment, but a more prominent reduction was noted in PST participants at weeks 9 and 12. The difference between PST and ST was greater in patients with greater cognitive impairment and more previous episodes. Reduction in disability paralleled reduction in depressive symptoms. The therapeutic advantage of PST over ST in reducing depression was, in part, due to greater reduction in disability by PST. Although disability increased during the 24 weeks after the end of treatment, the advantage of PST over ST was retained. CONCLUSIONS:These results suggest that PST is more effective than ST in reducing disability in older patients with major depression and executive dysfunction, and its benefits were retained after the end of treatment. The clinical value of this finding is that PST may be a treatment alternative in an older patient population likely to be resistant to pharmacotherapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION:clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00052091.

SUBMITTER: Alexopoulos GS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3018861 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Problem-solving therapy and supportive therapy in older adults with major depression and executive dysfunction: effect on disability.

Alexopoulos George S GS Raue Patrick J PJ Kiosses Dimitris N DN Mackin R Scott RS Kanellopoulos Dora D McCulloch Charles C Areán Patricia A PA

Archives of general psychiatry 20110101 1

<h4>Context</h4>Older patients with depression and executive dysfunction represent a population with significant disability and a high likelihood of failing pharmacotherapy.<h4>Objectives</h4>To examine whether problem-solving therapy (PST) reduces disability more than does supportive therapy (ST) in older patients with depression and executive dysfunction and whether this effect is mediated by improvement in depressive symptoms.<h4>Design</h4>Randomized controlled trial.<h4>Setting</h4>Weill Co ...[more]

PMID: 21199963

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Project description:PurposeBreast cancer (BC) is a risk factor for major depressive disorder (MDD), yet little research has tested the efficacy of different psychotherapies for depressed women with BC. This study, the largest to date, compared outcomes of three evidence-based, 12-week therapies in treating major depressive disorder among women with breast cancer.MethodsThis randomized trial compared interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT), problem solving therapy (PST), and brief supportive psychotherapy (BSP). Conducted at the outpatient clinic of the New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia University, the trial offered bilingual treatment by treatment-specific psychotherapists supervised by treatment experts. The primary outcome was change in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included other validated patient-reported outcomes for depression and quality of life.ResultsOf 179 women with breast cancer screening positive for depression at the Columbia Cancer Center, 134 eligible patients signed informed treatment consent. Half of patients were Hispanic and economically disadvantaged. Most women had stage I (35.2%) or II (36.9%) BC; 9% had stage IV. The three brief psychotherapies showed similar improvements on the HAM-D, with large pre-post effect sizes (d ~ 1.0); a priori defined response rates were 35% for IPT, 50% for PST and 31% for BSP, and remission rates 25%, 30% and 27%, respectively. The three treatments also showed similar improvements in the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire. Dropout was high, ranging from 37 to 52% across treatments. Predictors of dropout included having < 16 years of education and annual family income < $20,000.ConclusionsAmong patients who completed treatment, all three psychotherapies were associated with similar, meaningful improvements in depression. Physical distance between the oncology and psychiatric treatment sites might have contributed to high dropout. This study suggests various psychotherapy approaches may benefit patients with breast cancer and major depression.

Project description:IMPORTANCE:Problem adaptation therapy (PATH) is a treatment for older adults with major depression, cognitive impairment (from mild cognitive deficits to moderate dementia), and disability. Antidepressants have limited efficacy in this population and psychosocial interventions are inadequately investigated. OBJECTIVE:To test the efficacy of 12-week PATH vs supportive therapy for cognitively impaired patients (ST-CI) in reducing depression and disability in 74 older adults with major depression, cognitive impairment, and disability. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS:A randomized clinical trial at the Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry from April 1, 2006, to September 31, 2011. Interventions were administered at the participants' homes. Participants included 74 older individuals (age ? 65 years) with major depression and cognitive impairment to the level of moderate dementia. They were recruited through collaborating community agencies of Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry and were randomly assigned to 12 weekly sessions of PATH or ST-CI (14.8% attrition rate). INTERVENTIONS:Home-delivered PATH vs home-delivered ST-CI. Problem adaptation therapy integrates a problem-solving approach with compensatory strategies, environmental adaptations, and caregiver participation to improve patients' emotion regulation. Supportive therapy for cognitively impaired patients focuses on expression of affect, understanding, and empathy. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:Mixed-effects models for longitudinal data compared the efficacy of PATH with that of ST-CI in reducing depression (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) and disability (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II) during 12 weeks of treatment. RESULTS:Participants in PATH had significantly greater reduction in depression (Cohen d, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.13-1.06; treatment × time, F(1,179) = 8.03; P =?.005) and disability (Cohen d, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.20-1.14; treatment × time, F(1,169) = 14.86; P =?.001) than ST-CI participants during the 12-week period (primary outcomes). Furthermore, PATH participants had significantly greater depression remission rates than ST-CI participants (37.84% vs 13.51%; ?(2) = 5.74; P =?.02; number needed to treat = 4.11) (secondary outcome). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:Problem adaptation therapy was more efficacious than ST-CI in reducing depression and disability. Problem adaptation therapy may provide relief to a large group of depressed and cognitively impaired older adults who have few treatment options. TRIALS REGISTRATION:Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00368940.

Project description:ObjectivesAntidepressants have limited efficacy in older adults with depression and cognitive impairment, and psychosocial interventions for this population have been inadequately investigated. Problem Adaptation Therapy (PATH) is a psychosocial intervention for older adults with major depression, cognitive impairment, and disability.DesignThis study tests the efficacy of PATH versus Supportive Therapy for Cognitively Impaired Older Adults (ST-CI) in reducing depression (Montgamery Asberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS]) and disability (World Health Organization Disability Assessments Schedule-II [WHODAS-II]) and improving cognitive outcomes (Mini Mental State Examination [MMSE]) over 24 weeks (12 weeks of treatment and 12-week post-treatment follow-up).SettingParticipants were recruited through collaborating community agencies of Weill Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry. Both interventions and all research assessments were conducted at home.ParticipantsThirty-five older adults (age ≥ 65 years) with major depression and cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND).InterventionsPATH aims to increase emotion regulation by incorporating a problem-solving approach, teaching compensatory strategies, and inviting caregiver participation. Supportive Therapy aims to facilitate the expression of affect, as well as promote empathy.MeasurementsDepression was measured using the MADRS, disability using the WHODAS-II, and cognition using the MMSE.ResultsPATH participants showed significantly greater reduction in MADRS total score (7.04 points at 24 weeks, treatment group by time interaction: F[1,24.4] = 7.61, p = 0.0108), greater improvement in MMSE total score (2.30 points at 24 weeks, treatment group by time interaction: F[1,39.8] = 13.31, p = 0.0008), and greater improvement in WHODAS-II total score (2.95 points at 24 weeks, treatment group by time interaction: F[1,89] = 4.93, p = 0.0290) than ST-CI participants over the 24-week period.ConclusionsPATH participants had better depression, cognitive, and disability outcomes than ST-CI participants over 6 months. PATH may provide relief to depressed older adults with CIND who currently have limited treatment options.

Project description:ContextDepression occurs in more than half of patients who have experienced a stroke. Poststroke depression has been shown in numerous studies to be associated with both impaired recovery in activities of daily living and increased mortality. Prevention of depression thus represents a potentially important goal.ObjectiveTo determine whether treatment with escitalopram or problem-solving therapy over the first year following acute stroke will decrease the number of depression cases that develop compared with placebo medication.Design, setting, and participantsA multisite randomized controlled trial for prevention of depression among 176 nondepressed patients was conducted within 3 months following acute stroke from July 9, 2003, to October 1, 2007. The 12-month trial included 3 groups: a double-blind placebo-controlled comparison of escitalopram (n = 59) with placebo (n = 58), and a nonblinded problem-solving therapy group (n = 59).Main outcome measuresThe main outcome measure was the development of major or minor poststroke depression based on symptoms elicited by the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) (DSM-IV) and the diagnostic criteria from DSM-IV for depression due to stroke with major depressive-like episode or minor depression (ie, research criteria).ResultsPatients who received placebo were significantly more likely to develop depression than individuals who received escitalopram (11 major and 2 minor cases of depression [22.4%] vs 3 major and 2 minor cases of depression [8.5%], adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 4.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.4-8.2; P < .001) and also more likely than individuals who received problem-solving therapy (5 major and 2 minor cases of depression [11.9%], adjusted HR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.4-3.5; P < .001). These results were adjusted for history of mood disorders and remained significant after considering possible confounders such as age, sex, treatment site, and severity of impairment in the model. Using an intention-to-treat conservative method of analyzing the data, which assumed that all 27 patients who did not start randomized treatment would have developed depression, and controlling for prior history of mood disorders, escitalopram was superior to placebo (23.1% vs 34.5%; adjusted HR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.2-3.9; P = .007), while problem-solving therapy was not significantly better than placebo (30.5% vs 34.5%; adjusted HR, 1.1; 95% CI, 0.8-1.5; P = .51). Adverse events, including all-cause hospitalizations, nausea, and adverse effects associated with escitalopram were not significantly different between the 3 groups.ConclusionsIn this study of nondepressed patients with recent stroke, the use of escitalopram or problem-solving therapy resulted in a significantly lower incidence of depression over 12 months of treatment compared with placebo, but problem-solving therapy did not achieve significant results over placebo using the intention-to-treat conservative method of analysis.Trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00071643.

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Problem-solving therapy and supportive therapy in older adults with major depression and executive dysfunction: effect on disability.

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Problem-solving therapy and supportive therapy in older adults with major depression and executive dysfunction: effect on disability.

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