Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Late-Life Depression
An Evidence-Based Practice
Description
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Late-Life Depression is an active, directive, time-limited, and stuctured problem-solving approach program that follows the conceptual model and treatment program developed by Aaron Beck and his colleagues. CBT for Late-Life Depression includes specific modifications for elderly depressed individuals who are being treated as outpatients. The intervention includes strategies to facilitate learning with this population, such as repeated presentation of information using different modalities, slower rates of presentation, and greater use of practice along with greater use of structure and modeling behavior. Patients are taught to identify, monitor, and ultimately challenge negative thoughts about themselves or their situations and develop more adaptive and flexible thoughts. Where appropriate, emphasis is also placed on teaching patients to monitor and increase pleasant events in their daily lives using behavioral treatment procedures. The intervention consists of up to 20 50- to 60-minute sessions following a structured manual.
Goal / Mission
The goal of this program is to use cognitive behavioral therapy to treat depression in older adults.
Impact
Research has shown that behavioral cognitive therapy helped patients reduce their depression symptoms, and maintained this improvement at 1-year follow-up more effectively than other types of therapy. At 6-month follow-up, clients who completed CBT were less likely to meet criteria for diagnoses of depression than clients who completed treatment as usual.
Results / Accomplishments
Improvement of depression symptoms at 1-year follow-up was maintained more effectively by behavioral or cognitive therapy. At 6-month follow-up, clients who completed CBT were less likely to meet criteria for diagnoses of depression than clients who completed treatment as usual. Among older adults, measures of life satisfaction improved following treatment. Patients also improved in overall adjustment and coping after treatment. CBT produced improved environmental quality of life when applied to older adults with moderate depression (p < 0.03). Patients were also able to reduce their psychiatric symptoms other than depression after treatment with CBT.
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
Stanford University School of Medicine, Older Adult and Family Center
Primary Contact
Dolores Gallagher-Thompson, Ph.D., ABPP
(650) 721-1024
dolorest@stanford.edu
https://med.stanford.edu/oafc.html
(650) 721-1024
dolorest@stanford.edu
https://med.stanford.edu/oafc.html
Topics
Health / Mental Health & Mental Disorders
Health / Older Adults
Health / Older Adults
Organization(s)
Stanford University School of Medicine, Older Adult and Family Center
Source
SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-Based Practices and Programs (NREPP)
Date of publication
Dec 2006
For more details
Target Audience
Adults, Older Adults