Efficacy of Couple Therapy as a Treatment for Depression: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Data from clinical trials of couple therapy for depression have never been subjected to systematic analyses. We performed a meta-analysis of eight controlled trials involving 567 subjects. No difference was found on depressive symptoms between couple therapy and individual psychotherapy. Relationship distress was significantly reduced in the couple therapy group. Too few data are available for comparisons with drug therapy and no treatment. The findings are weakened by small sample sizes, assessments at the end of treatment or short follow-up, unclear sample representativeness, heterogeneity among studies. The mediating role of improvement in quality of couple relationships is not supported by data. However, it has not been adequately tested. Evidence on efficacy of couple therapy as a treatment for depression is inconclusive. The evidence for improvement in couple relationships may favor the choice of couple therapy when relational distress is a major problem.

Intimate Relationships and Psychopathology

“…Most of the clinical trials conducted to date have focused on couples who are experiencing relationship discord and one partner is depressed, although some trials focus on couples who do not have discordant relationships. A recent meta-analysis of eight controlled trials provided evidence for the effectiveness of couple-based interventions in the treatment for depression (Barbato and D'Avanzo 2008). Couple therapy appears to be comparable with individually oriented treatment in reducing depressive symptoms (d = -.12) and more effective than individually oriented treatment in improving relationship satisfaction (d = -.60).…”

Illustrating idiographic methods for translation research: moderation effects, natural clinical experiments, and complex treatment-by-subgroup interactions

“…Couple therapy appears to be the most effective depression treatment when relationship distress is co-occurring [21]. However, as noted earlier, evidence is largely limited to women with depression [20].…”

“…Originally, this pilot study tested the efficacy of emotionally focused therapy (EFT) for reducing depression in men and women who were also experiencing relational distress [21]. EFT aims to enhance emotional bonds and responsiveness between members of a couple via novel interactions designed to enhance emotional attachment and encourage sharing of emotions.…”

The Developmental Psychopathology of Perinatal Depression: Implications for Psychosocial Treatment Development and Delivery in Pregnancy

“…43 Studies showing that couples therapy is effective in reducing depression and improving relationship adjustment in depressed people in the general population need to be extended to couples dealing with women's depression during the perinatal period. 65 …”