A randomized trial of telephone psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for depression: continuation and durability of effects

Abstract

Randomized trial evidence and expert guidelines are mixed regarding the value of combined pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy as initial treatment for depression. This study describes long-term results of a randomized trial (N = 393) evaluating telephone-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) plus care management for primary care patients beginning antidepressant treatment versus usual care. In a repeated measures linear model with adjustment for baseline scores, the phone therapy group showed significantly lower mean Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL) Depression Scale scores (L. Derogatis, K. Rickels, E. Uhlenhuth, & L. Covi, 1974) from 6 months to 18 months versus usual care, F(1, 336) = 11.28, p = .001. Average HSCL depression scores over the period from 6 months to 18 months were 0.68 (SD = 0.55) in the telephone therapy group and 0.85 (SD = 0.65) in the usual-care comparison group. Addition of a brief, structured CBT program can significantly improve clinical outcomes for the large number of patients beginning antidepressant treatment in primary care.