Cognitive therapy for depression: a comparison of individual psychotherapy and bibliotherapy for depressed older adults

Behav Modif. 2004 Mar;28(2):297-318. doi: 10.1177/0145445503259284.

Abstract

Thirty-one community-residing older adults age 60 or over either received 16 sessions of individual cognitive psychotherapy (Beck, Rush, Shaw, & Emery, 1979) or read Feeling Good (Bums, 1980) for bibliotherapy. Posttreatment comparisons with the delayed-treatment control indicated that both treatments were superior to a delayed-treatment control. Individual psychotherapy was superior to bibliotherapy at posttreatment on self-reported depression, but there were no differences on clinician-rated depression. Further, bibliotherapy participants continued to improve after posttreatment. and there were no differences between treatments at 3-month follow-up. Results suggest that bibliotherapy and that individual psychotherapy are both viable treatment options for depression in older adults.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Bibliotherapy / methods*
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / methods*
  • Depression / diagnosis
  • Depression / therapy*
  • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Surveys and Questionnaires