Comparative efficacy of religious and nonreligious cognitive-behavioral therapy for the treatment of clinical depression in religious individuals.

Abstract

Two versions of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), one with religious content (RCT) and one with standard protocol (NRCT), were used to treat 19-20 religious patients each. Fifty-nine religious patients who met the Research Diagnostic Criteria for nonpsychotic, nonbipolar depression were treated in 18-20 1-hr sessions over 3 months. Religious and nonreligious therapists were used in each CBT group. Pastoral counseling (PCT) treatment-as-usual and waiting-list control (WLC) conditions each contained 10-11 patients. RCT and PCT patients reported significantly lower posttreatment depression and adjustment scores than did either the NRCT or the WLC condition. The CBT difference was due largely to superior performance of the nonreligious therapists (with dissimilar values to the patients) in the RCT over the NRCT condition. Improvement in the three treatment conditions was equal at 3-month and 2-year follow-ups and greater than posttreatment WLC improvement levels.

The Association Between Spirituality and Depression in an Urban Clinic

“…28 Among patients who are religious, 2 studies suggest that incorporating religious belief in the therapy of depressed patients results in improved depression scores when compared with treating patients conventionally. 29,30 However, 3 studies have shown no difference in using religious imagery as an adjunctive to therapy for depressed patients. [31][32][33] An appropriate study remains to be conducted among the urban poor.…”

Considerations for Culturally Responsive Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Māori With Depression

“…One study found that Christian clients who received a religious form of CBT improved significantly more than those who received a non-religious version (Propst, Ostrom, Watkins, Dean, & Mashburn, 1992). Adaptations included providing clients with Christian religious rationales for the procedures, Christian arguments to counter irrational thoughts, and the use of Christian imagery.…”

Integrating Religion and Spirituality into Mental Health Care, Psychiatry and Psychotherapy

“…There are only few studies which investigate the outcome of -religious therapies‖ [63][64][65]. The integration of religious elements into psychotherapy is typically used for religious patients.…”

“…The integration of religious elements into psychotherapy is typically used for religious patients. Rebecca Probst from the Department of Counseling Psychology, Portland, conducted a comparative study of the efficacy of religious and non-religious cognitive-behavioral therapy with religious and non-religious therapists on religious patients with clinical depression [65]. She hypothesized that religious cognitivebehavioral therapy (RCT) might be more effective for religious patients than standard cognitivebehavioral therapy (CBT) because of higher consistency of values and frameworks.…”