Depression is among the most common psychiatric disorders seen in mental health practices. Although effective treatments for the condition exist, managed care pressures providers to utilize empirically supported, cost-effective treatments. Behavioral activation (BA) treatment for depression has emerged in recent years as a promising, cost-effective intervention for major depressive disorder. If its effectiveness could be established, BA delivered through a group format would offer additional cost effectiveness over its individual therapy counterpart. This investigation examined the effects of behavioral activation group therapy (BAGT) for depression in public mental health settings. The results suggest that BAGT can be a valuable addition to the practicing psychologist's set of interventions to use with depressed clients.
More than one-third of treatment-seeking obese patients are clinically depressed. No evidence-based treatments exist for individuals with comorbid depression and obesity. Behavioral activation (BA), an effective treatment for depression, might also facilitate weight loss. The objective of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of BA plus nutrition counseling for weight loss among individuals with comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) and obesity. The BA intervention targeted both weight reduction and depression in 14 obese patients (79% female; 86% Caucasian) who met criteria for MDD. At baseline, mean Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) score was 26.71, and mean Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) score was 16.00. Significant reductions at 12-weeks in both BDI-II and HDRS were observed with 10 participants reaching full remission at post treatment. Reductions in body weight, daily caloric intake, and physical activity were observed. BA with nutrition counseling appears to have potential as a weight loss treatment in the context of depression. Results support the need for a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of BA for both weight loss and depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).
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