scholarly journals Influence of age on outcome of psychological treatments in first-episode psychosis

2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gillian Haddock ◽  
Shôn Lewis ◽  
Richard Bentall ◽  
Graham Dunn ◽  
Richard Drake ◽  
...  

BackgroundPsychological treatments have been shown to be effective in patients with psychosis. However, the studies published to date have included participants across wide age ranges, so few conclusions can be reached about the effectiveness of such treatments in relation to age.AimsTo evaluate outcomes by age in a randomised controlled trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), supportive counselling and treatment as usual.MethodOutcomes were evaluated in terms of symptoms, social functioning, insight and therapeutic alliance according to age at 3- and 18-month follow-up.ResultsYounger participants responded better to supportive counselling than to treatment as usual and CBTover 3 months. Older participants responded better to CBT than to supportive counselling over 18 months. Younger participants showed a greater increase in insight after CBT compared with treatment as usual and supportive counselling, and were more difficult to engage in therapy.ConclusionsYoung people may have different needs with regard to engagement in psychological treatments. Treatment providers need to take age-specific factors into account.

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Hayward ◽  
Katherine Berry ◽  
Stephen Bremner ◽  
Anna-Marie Jones ◽  
Sam Robertson ◽  
...  

Background Cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) is recommended for all patients with psychosis, but is offered to only a minority. This is attributable, in part, to the resource-intensive nature of CBT for psychosis. Responses have included the development of CBT for psychosis in brief and targeted formats, and its delivery by briefly trained therapists. This study explored a combination of these responses by investigating a brief, CBT-informed intervention targeted at distressing voices (the GiVE intervention) administered by a briefly trained workforce of assistant psychologists. Aims To explore the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the GiVE intervention when delivered by assistant psychologists to patients with psychosis. Method This was a three-arm, feasibility, randomised controlled trial comparing the GiVE intervention, a supportive counselling intervention and treatment as usual, recruiting across two sites, with 1:1:1 allocation and blind post-treatment and follow-up assessments. Results Feasibility outcomes were favourable with regard to the recruitment and retention of participants and the adherence of assistant psychologists to therapy and supervision protocols. For the candidate primary outcomes, estimated effects were in favour of GiVE compared with supportive counselling and treatment as usual at post-treatment. At follow-up, estimated effects were in favour of supportive counselling compared with GiVE and treatment as usual, and GiVE compared with treatment as usual. Conclusions A definitive trial of the GiVE intervention, delivered by assistant psychologists, is feasible. Adaptations to the GiVE intervention and the design of any future trials may be necessary.


2015 ◽  
Vol 206 (6) ◽  
pp. 509-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimee Spector ◽  
Georgina Charlesworth ◽  
Michael King ◽  
Miles Lattimer ◽  
Susan Sadek ◽  
...  

BackgroundAnxiety is common and problematic in dementia, yet there is a lack of effective treatments.AimsTo develop a cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) manual for anxiety in dementia and determine its feasibility through a randomised controlled trial.MethodA ten-session CBT manual was developed. Participants with dementia and anxiety (and their carers) were randomly allocated to CBT plus treatment as usual (TAU) (n= 25) or TAU (n= 25). Outcome and cost measures were administered at baseline, 15 weeks and 6 months.ResultsAt 15 weeks, there was an adjusted difference in anxiety (using the Rating Anxiety in Dementia scale) of (–3.10, 95% CI −6.55 to 0.34) for CBT compared with TAU, which just fell short of statistical significance. There were significant improvements in depression at 15 weeks after adjustment (–5.37, 95% CI −9.50 to −1.25). Improvements remained significant at 6 months. CBT was cost neutral.ConclusionsCBT was feasible (in terms of recruitment, acceptability and attrition) and effective. A fully powered RCT is now required.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeannette Milgrom ◽  
Brian G. Danaher ◽  
John R. Seeley ◽  
Christopher J. Holt ◽  
Charlene Holt ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Previous research confirms that symptoms of postnatal depression (PND) can be ameliorated through internet-delivered psychological interventions. To date, no research has examined the efficacy of such interventions compared directly to face-to-face (FTF) treatment in women clinically diagnosed with PND. OBJECTIVE We aimed to compare the efficacy of one of the first Web-based cognitive behavioural therapy (internet CBT + coach calls) interventions for PND (MumMoodBooster: MMB) with FTF-CBT in a randomised controlled trial (RCT). METHODS One hundred and sixteen postnatal women with a DSM-IV diagnosis of major or minor depression were randomised to either MMB (n = 39), FTF-CBT (n = 39) or a treatment as usual control condition (TAU, n = 38). Diagnostic status was determined at baseline and at a 21-week follow-up using the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV (SCID-IV). Severity of anxious and depressive symptoms were evaluated with the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) and the Beck Depression Inventory – Revised (BDI-II) at baseline, 12 weeks (post-treatment) and at 21 weeks follow-up. RESULTS Ninety two percent of participants had a diagnosis of major depression at baseline. Rates of remission from the major or minor depressive episode at 21 weeks in both the FTF-CBT and the MMB groups were superior to TAU (Relative Risk = 0.59 and 0.68 respectively) and they were not significantly different from each other. Whilst remission rates differed between TAU and FTF-CBT, growth models showed that, in terms of symptom reduction across time, the FTF-CBT treatment was not significantly better than TAU. By comparison, MMB was statistically superior to both TAU and FTF-CBT in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress from baseline to 21 weeks follow-up (large and moderate effect sizes). Thus, after 21 weeks, symptom scores for depression and anxiety in women receiving MMB were approximately 50% lower than the average scores in both TAU and FTF-CBT. CONCLUSIONS In this RCT, MMB was at least as effective as FTF-CBT in achieving remission from a diagnosed postnatal depressive episode. MMB was superior to both TAU and FTF-CBT in encouraging and maintaining reduction of symptom severity over 21 weeks follow-up for depressed postnatal women. These findings replicate results of prior studies of MMB that showed clinically significant improvements in depressive symptoms and they provide direct empirical support that internet delivered treatment for depressed postnatal women is a viable alternative to face-to-face treatment. Advantages of internet treatment include anonymity, convenience and catering for women who would prefer not to, or cannot, access face-to-face treatments. The generalisability of results needs to be examined by future research since RCTs of internet-based versus face-to-face treatments necessarily involve a subset of people who are willing to undertake either modality of treatment. CLINICALTRIAL The protocol for this trial was registered prospectively on the Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (trial id ACTRN12613000881730); https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=364683&isReview=true.


2017 ◽  
Vol 210 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-Hua Guo ◽  
Zhan-Jiang Li ◽  
Yun Ma ◽  
Jing Sun ◽  
Jun-Hua Guo ◽  
...  

BackgroundBrief cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) is an emerging treatment for schizophrenia in community settings; however, further trials are needed, especially in non-Western countries.AimsTo test the effects of brief CBT for Chinese patients with schizophrenia in the community (trial registration: ChiCTR-TRC-13003709).MethodA total of 220 patients with schizophrenia from four districts of Beijing were randomly assigned to either brief CBT plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone. Patients were assessed at baseline, post-treatment and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups by raters masked to group allocation.ResultsAt the post-treatment assessment and the 12-month follow-up, patients who received brief CBT showed greater improvement in overall symptoms, general psychopathology, insight and social functioning. In total, 37.3% of those in the brief CBT plus TAU group experienced a clinically significant response, compared with only 19.1% of those in the TAU alone group (P= 0.003).ConclusionsBrief CBT has a positive effect on Chinese patients with schizophrenia in the community.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (68) ◽  
pp. 1-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ailsa Russell ◽  
Daisy Gaunt ◽  
Kate Cooper ◽  
Jeremy Horwood ◽  
Stephen Barton ◽  
...  

Background Co-occurring depression frequently occurs in autism. Evidence-based psychological interventions have been successfully adapted to treat co-occurring anxiety, but there is little evidence about the usefulness of adapted cognitive–behavioural therapy for depression. To the authors’ knowledge, to date there have been no randomised trials investigating the usefulness of low-intensity cognitive–behavioural therapy for depression in autism. Objectives The objectives of the study were to (1) develop a low-intensity psychological intervention for depression adapted for autism, (2) assess the feasibility and patient and therapist acceptability of the intervention, (3) estimate the rates of recruitment and retention for a full-scale randomised controlled trial and (4) identify an appropriate measure of depression to be used in a full-scale randomised controlled trial. Design The study comprised a randomised controlled trial (n = 70) with a nested qualitative evaluation (n = 21). Seventy eligible and consenting participants were randomly allocated to guided self-help or to treatment as usual. Setting Adult autism services in two NHS regions. Participants Adults with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder with depression, that is, a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 items score of ≥ 10. People who had attended more than six sessions of cognitive–behavioural therapy in the previous 6 months were excluded. Interventions The low-intensity intervention (guided self-help) comprised materials for nine individual sessions, based on behavioural activation adapted for autism, facilitated by therapist guides (coaches) who were graduate-level psychologists who attended training and regular supervision. Treatment as usual was standard NHS care for depression. Main outcome measures Outcomes were measured 10, 16 and 24 weeks post randomisation using self-report and interview measures of depression, anxiety, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, social function and quality of life, and a health-care and service use questionnaire. As this was a feasibility study also designed to identify the most appropriate measure of depression, it was not possible to specify the primary outcome measure or outcome point a priori. Results The aims of the study were met in full. The guided self-help intervention was feasible and well received by participants and coaches. The majority of allocated participants attended the intervention in full. The most practical outcome point was determined to be 16 weeks. There were differential rates of attrition across the treatment groups: 86% of the guided self-help group remained in the study at 24 weeks, compared with 54% of treatment as usual group. The qualitative study suggested that guided self-help had enhanced credibility with participants at the point of randomisation. Inter-rater reliability of the interview measure of depression was less than adequate, limiting the conclusions that can be drawn from the prespecified sensitivity to change analyses. Conclusions The intervention was feasible and well received. Although this feasibility study was not a fully powered trial, it provided some evidence that the guided self-help intervention was effective in reducing depressive symptoms. A full-scale clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness trial of the intervention is warranted. Future work Improvements to the intervention materials as a result of qualitative interviews. Stakeholder consultation to consider future trial design, consider strategies to improve retention in a treatment as usual arm and select a self-report measure of depression to serve as the primary outcome measure. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN54650760. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 23, No. 68. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information. This study was also supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Wood ◽  
Claire Williams ◽  
Vanessa Pinfold ◽  
Fiona Nolan ◽  
Anthony P Morrison ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) is a psychological therapy which should be offered during the acute phases of psychosis. However, few research studies have examined the efficacy of CBTp interventions specifically adapted for the acute mental health inpatient context with most research trials being conducted with white European community populations. Aims The aim of this study is to conduct a feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of a crisis-focused CBTp intervention adapted for an ethnically diverse acute mental health inpatient population. The study will examine the feasibility of undertaking the trial, the acceptability and safety of the intervention, and the suitability of chosen outcome measures. This will inform the planning of a future, fully powered RCT. Methods A single-site, parallel group, feasibility RCT will be conducted examining the intervention. Drawing on principles of coproduction, the intervention has been adapted in partnership with key stakeholders; service users with lived experience of psychosis and of inpatient care (including those from ethnic minority backgrounds), carers, multidisciplinary inpatient clinicians, and researchers. Sixty participants with experience of psychosis and in current receipt of acute mental health inpatient care will be recruited. Participants will be randomly allocated to either the crisis-focused CBTp intervention or Treatment as Usual (TAU). Discussion Findings of this feasibility RCT will indicate whether a larger multi-site RCT is needed to investigate the efficacy of the intervention. If the initial results demonstrate that this trial is feasible and the intervention is acceptable, it will provide evidence that a full-scale effectiveness trial may be warranted. Trial registration: This trial has been prospectively registered on the ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN59055607) on the 18th February 2021 https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN59055607


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 1-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian M Goodyer ◽  
Shirley Reynolds ◽  
Barbara Barrett ◽  
Sarah Byford ◽  
Bernadka Dubicka ◽  
...  

BackgroundAlthough there are effective psychological treatments for unipolar major depression in adolescents, whether or not one or more of the available therapies maintain reduced depressive symptoms 1 year after the end of treatment is not known. This is a non-trivial issue because maintaining lowered depressive symptoms below a clinical threshold level reduces the risk for diagnostic relapse into the adult years.ObjectiveTo determine whether or not either of two specialist psychological treatments, cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) or short-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy (STPP), is more effective than a reference brief psychosocial intervention (BPI) in maintaining reduction of depression symptoms in the year after treatment.DesignObserver-blind, parallel-group, pragmatic superiority randomised controlled trial.SettingA total of 15 outpatient NHS clinics in the UK from East Anglia, north-west England and North London.ParticipantsAdolescents aged 11–17 years withDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition major depression including those with suicidality, depressive psychosis and conduct disorder. Patients were randomised using stochastic minimisation controlling for age, sex and self-reported depression sum score; 470 patients were randomised and 465 were included in the analyses.InterventionsIn total, 154 adolescents received CBT, 156 received STPP and 155 received BPI. The trial lasted 86 weeks and study treatments were delivered in the first 36 weeks, with 52 weeks of follow-up.Main outcome measuresMean sum score on self-reported depressive symptoms (primary outcome) at final study assessment (nominally 86 weeks, at least 52 weeks after end of treatment). Secondary measures were change in mean sum scores on self-reported anxiety symptoms and researcher-rated Health of the Nation scales for children and adolescents measuring psychosocial function. Following baseline assessment, there were a further five planned follow-up reassessments at nominal time points of 6, 12, 52 and 86 weeks post randomisation.ResultsThere were non-inferiority effects of CBT compared with STPP [treatment effect by final follow-up = –0.578, 95% confidence interval (CI) –2.948 to 4.104;p = 0.748]. There were no superiority effects for the two specialist treatments (CBT + STPP) compared with BPI (treatment effect by final follow-up = –1.898, 95% CI –4.922 to 1.126;p = 0.219). At final assessment there was no significant difference in the mean depressive symptom score between treatment groups. There was an average 49–52% reduction in depression symptoms by the end of the study. There were no differences in total costs or quality-of-life scores between treatment groups and prescribing a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) during treatment or follow-up did not differ between the therapy arms and, therefore, did not mediate the outcome.ConclusionsThe three psychological treatments differed markedly in theoretical and clinical approach and are associated with a similar degree of clinical improvement, cost-effectiveness and subsequent maintenance of lowered depressive symptoms. Both STPP and BPI offer an additional patient treatment choice, alongside CBT, for depressed adolescents attending specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Further research should focus on psychological mechanisms that are associated with treatment response, the maintenance of positive effects, determinants of non-response and whether or not brief psychotherapies are of use in primary care and community settings.LimitationsNeither reason for SSRI prescribing or monitoring of medication compliance was controlled for over the course of the study, and the economic results were limited by missing data.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN83033550.FundingThis project was funded by the National Institute for Heath Research Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full inHealth Technology Assessment; Vol. 21, No. 12. See the National Institute for Heath Research Journals Library website for further project information. Funding was also provided by the Department of Health. The funders had no role in the study design, patient recruitment, data collection, analysis or writing of the study, any aspect pertinent to the study or the decision to submit toThe Lancet.


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