The British Journal of Psychiatry (2007) 190: 496-502. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.106.024729
© 2007 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Related articles in BJP
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by LUTY, S. E.
Right arrow Articles by JOYCE, P. R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by LUTY, S. E.
Right arrow Articles by JOYCE, P. R.

Randomised controlled trial of interpersonal psychotherapy and cognitive–behavioural therapy for depression{dagger}

SUZANNE E. LUTY, BM BS, PhD, FRANZCP, JANET D. CARTER, DipClinPsych, PhD, JANICE M. McKENZIE, MB ChB, FRCP(Canada), FRANZCP, ALMA M. RAE, MB ChB, FRANZCP, CHRISTOPHER M. A. FRAMPTON, PhD, ROGER T. MULDER, MB ChB, PhD, FRANZCP and PETER R. JOYCE, MD, PhD, DSc, FRANZCP, FRSNZ

Department of Psychological Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Christchurch, New Zealand

Correspondence: Professor Sue Luty, Department of Psychological Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine & Health Sciences, PO Box 4345, Christchurch, New Zealand. Tel: +64 3 3720 400; fax: +64 3 3720 407; email: sue.luty{at}chmeds.ac.nz

Declaration of interest None.

{dagger} See pp. 503–508, this issue.

Background Interpersonal psychotherapy and cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) are established as effective treatments for major depression. Controversy remains regarding their effectiveness for severe and melancholic depression.

Aims To compare the efficacy of interpersonal psychotherapy and CBT in people receiving out-patient treatment for depression and to explore response in severe depression (Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score above 30), and in melancholic depression.

Method Randomised clinical trial of 177 patients with a principal Axis I diagnosis of major depressive disorder receiving 16 weeks of therapy comprising 8–19 sessions. Primary outcome was improvement in MADRS score from baseline to end of treatment.

Results There was no difference between the two psychotherapies in the sample as a whole, but CBT was more effective than interpersonal psychotherapy in severe depression, and the response was comparable withthatfor mild and moder-ate depression. Melancholia did not predictpoor response to either psychotherapy.

Conclusions Both therapies are equally effective for depression but CBT may be preferred in severe depression.


Related articles in BJP:

Temperament, character and personality disorders as predictors of response to interpersonal psychotherapy and cognitive–behavioural therapy for depression
PETER R. JOYCE, JANICE M. McKENZIE, JANET D. CARTER, ALMA M. RAE, SUZANNE E. LUTY, CHRISTOPHER M. A. FRAMPTON, and ROGER T. MULDER
BJP 2007 190: 503-508. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

PETER TYRER
BJP 2007 190: 546. [Full Text]  

Highlights of this issue
KIMBERLIE DEAN
BJP 2007 190: a21. [Full Text]  



This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J PsychopharmacolHome page
I. Anderson, I. Ferrier, R. Baldwin, P. Cowen, L Howard, G Lewis, K Matthews, R. McAllister-Williams, R. Peveler, J Scott, et al.
Evidence-based guidelines for treating depressive disorders with antidepressants: A revision of the 2000 British Association for Psychopharmacology guidelines
J Psychopharmacol, June 1, 2008; 22(4): 343 - 396.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Br. J. PsychiatryHome page
P. R. JOYCE, J. M. McKENZIE, J. D. CARTER, A. M. RAE, S. E. LUTY, C. M. A. FRAMPTON, and R. T. MULDER
Temperament, character and personality disorders as predictors of response to interpersonal psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy for depression
The British Journal of Psychiatry, June 1, 2007; 190(6): 503 - 508.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]