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Individuals’ Long Term Use of Cognitive Behavioural Skills to Manage their Depression: A Qualitative Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 September 2016

Lydia R. M. French ,
Laura Thomas ,
John Campbell ,
Willem Kuyken ,
Glyn Lewis ,
Chris Williams ,
Nicola J. Wiles  and
Katrina M. Turner
Lydia R. M. French*
Affiliation:
University of Bristol, UK
Laura Thomas
Affiliation:
University of Bristol, UK
John Campbell
Affiliation:
University of Exeter Medical School, UK
Willem Kuyken
Affiliation:
University of Oxford, UK
Glyn Lewis
Affiliation:
University College London, UK
Chris Williams
Affiliation:
University of Glasgow, UK
Nicola J. Wiles
Affiliation:
University of Bristol, UK
Katrina M. Turner
Affiliation:
University of Bristol, UK
*
Correspondence to Lydia R. M. French, Centre for Academic Primary Care, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK. E-mail: lydia.french@bristol.ac.uk
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Abstract

Background: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) aims to teach people skills to help them self-manage their depression. Trial evidence shows that CBT is an effective treatment for depression and individuals may experience benefits long-term. However, there is little research about individuals’ continued use of CBT skills once treatment has finished. Aims: To explore whether individuals who had attended at least 12 sessions of CBT continued to use and value the CBT skills they had learnt during therapy. Method: Semi-structured interviews were held with participants from the CoBalT trial who had received CBT, approximately 4 years earlier. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically. Results: 20 participants were interviewed. Analysis of the interviews suggested that individuals who viewed CBT as a learning process, at the time of treatment, recalled and used specific skills to manage their depression once treatment had finished. In contrast, individuals who viewed CBT only as an opportunity to talk about their problems did not appear to utilize any of the CBT skills they had been taught and reported struggling to manage their depression once treatment had ended. Conclusions: Our findings suggest individuals may value and use CBT skills if they engage with CBT as a learning opportunity at the time of treatment. Our findings underline the importance of the educational model in CBT and the need to emphasize this to individuals receiving treatment.

Keywords

Qualitative interviewscognitive behavioural therapymental healthtreatment resistant depression
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 45 , Issue 1 , January 2017 , pp. 46 - 57
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2016 

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