Cognitive therapy: Intervention with the depressed elderly

This study examines the use of cognitive therapy with the depressed elderly. Sixty-five individuals ranging in age from 65 to 102 participated in cognitive therapy for twenty sessions in their homes. Twenty-three elderly individuals composed the control group. The basis of cognitive therapy for depression lies in the cognitive restructuring goals which focus on two areas: coping and underlying beliefs. Cognitive and behavioral techniques are taught during therapy to address these goals. The Beck Depression Inventory was used as a pre-test/post-test/and follow-up test in order to screen for depression, compare between groups and compare within groups. Results indicated that the experimental group experienced a significant decrease in depression while the control group exhibited no significant change in depression. Cognitive therapy appears to be a major contributor towards the decrease in depression in this study