Abstract
Depressed mood is highly prevalent among HIV-infected individuals. Some but not all studies have found group psychotherapy to be efficacious in this population. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of double-blinded, randomized controlled trials to examine efficacy of group psychotherapy treatment among HIV infected with depressive symptoms. We used PubMed, the Cochrane database, and a search of bibliographies to find controlled clinical trials with random assignment to group psychotherapy or control condition among HIV infected patients with depressive symptoms. The principal measure of effect size was the standard difference between means on validated depression inventories. We identified 8 studies that included 665 subjects: 5 used cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), 2 used supportive therapy, and 1 used coping effectiveness training. Three of the 8 studies reported significant effects. The pooled effect size from the random effects model was 0.38 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.23-0.53) Assignment: Applying Current Literature to Clinical Practice representing a moderate effect. Heterogeneity of effect was not found to be significant (p = 0.69; I(2) = 0%). Studies reporting use of group CBT had a pooled effect size from the random effects model of 0.37 (95% CI: 0.18-0.56) and was significant. Studies reporting the use of group supportive psychotherapy had a pooled effect size from the random effects model 0.58 (95% CI: -0.05-1.22) and was nonsignificant. The results of this study suggest that group psychotherapy is efficacious in reducing depressive symptoms among, HIV-infected individuals. Of note, women were nearly absent from all studies. Future studies should be directed at addressing this disparity.
Abstract
Purpose:
The purposes were to (a) provide an 8-week, short-term, psychotherapy group as a nonpharmacologic, evidence-based intervention for first-time mothers at risk for postpartum depression (PPD) and (b) determine if women’s scores in the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale changed after participation in the intervention.
Conclusion:
The women who participated in the short-term group psychotherapy intervention experienced a decrease in their Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale scores, reducing their risk for PPD.
Practice Implications
Group psychotherapy is an effective, evidence-based intervention to reduce the risk for PPD and should remain a current competency of psychiatric advanced practice nurses.
Abstract
Aims and objectives
To define the effects of group psychotherapy in women with a history of sexual abuse, to find possible predictors for dropout and treatment outcome rates and to find which therapeutic factors of group psychotherapy are perceived by group members to be most helpful.
Background:
Sexual abuse of women is a global concern and causes many psychiatric and psychological sequelae. Group psychotherapy is one of the preferred treatment modalities.
Design:
Prospective cohort study.
Methods:
Forty-seven women with a history of childhood and/or adulthood sexual abuse were recruited for weekly 12-session group psychotherapy. Subjects were given the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the Clinician Administered Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Scale, the Dissociative Experiences Scale, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Group Therapeutic Factors Questionnaire. Re-evaluations were made after the 6th and 12th session and also at a six-month follow-up session.
Results:
Group psychotherapy significantly reduced participants’ levels of depression (screening/12th session mean scores, 22.45/11.10), anxiety (15.45/4.32) and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (42.27/9.32), and this decline became statistically significant at the 6th session and tended to persist at the six-month follow-up. Ass
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