Predictors of Treatment Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K13329
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 10030:Clinical psychology-related
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: MITSUDA Dai 慶應義塾大学, 医学部(信濃町), 特任助教 (80782226)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: うつ病 / 認知行動療法 / 治療予測因子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cognitive-behavioral therapy, one of the treatments for depression, is considered to be effective, but its effectiveness varies from person to person. One of the factors that cause individual differences is the relationship between the way depressive symptoms improve and the effectiveness of the treatment.
In the present study, we examined how much improvement in depressive symptoms at what point in the course of cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression could be used to predict the effectiveness at the end of cognitive-behavioral therapy. The results suggested that a QIDS score of 10 points or less at 10 weeks after the start of treatment, which is a little after the turn of treatment, or a score decrease of 62% or more from the start to 10 weeks, predicted remission (almost no symptoms) at the end of cognitive behavioral therapy with high probability.

Free Research Field

臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果、うつ尺度であるQIDS得点と治療開始時からの得点減少率のいずれにおいても、認知行動療法の折り返しをすぎたあたりである、治療開始後10週時点が、認知行動療法終了時の効果予測をするのに最適な週数と同定された。
このことは、認知行動療法開始から折り返し地点あたりにかけての一定のうつ症状の改善がその後の治療成績に関連することが示唆されたことを示している。また、10週までに十分な改善が認められない場合には、この時点でのQIDS得点や得点減少率が、治療方針の変更など臨床判断を下す際の一つの指標として活用されることが期待される。