Conclusions : Psychoeducation is a psychosocial treatment that has been well documented as an adjunct to pharmacological therapy .
However , there are only a few studies regarding its effectiveness on adult patients with major depressive disorder .
Although the publications in this area are still very limited , the articles selected in this review suggest that psychoeducation is effective in improving the clinical course , treatment adherence , and psychosocial functioning of depressive patients
Objective : Pharmacological treatment is considered indispensable to major depressive disorder .
In spite of this , a significant number of patients do not respond adequately to treatment based only on medication , presenting high relapse and recurrence rates .
Therefore , psychosocial interventions , such as psychoeducation , have been increasingly recognized as an essential component in the treatment of depression , associated with pharmacological strategies .
Thus , the aim of the present systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of psychoeducation  for patients with unipolar depression , analyzing the evidence from the literature .
Effectiveness of a Novel Integrative Online Treatment for Depression (Deprexis): Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND Depression is associated with immense suffering and costs , and many patients receive inadequate care , often because of the limited availability of treatment . Web-based treatments may play an increasingly important role in closing this gap between dem and and supply . We developed the integrative , Web-based program Deprexis , which covers therapeutic approaches such as behavioral activation , cognitive restructuring , mindfulness/acceptance exercises , and social skills training . OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of the Web-based intervention in a r and omized controlled trial . METHODS There were 396 adults recruited via Internet depression forums in Germany , and they were r and omly assigned in an 80:20 weighted r and omization sequence to either 9 weeks of immediate-program-access as an add-on to treatment-as-usual ( N = 320 ) , or to a 9-week delayed-access plus treatment-as-usual condition ( N = 76 ) . At pre- and post-treatment and 6-month follow-up , we measured depression ( Beck Depression Inventory ) as the primary outcome measure and social functioning ( Work and Social Adjustment Scale ) as the secondary outcome measure . Complete analyses and intention-to-treat analyses were performed . RESULTS Of 396 participants , 216 ( 55 % ) completed the post-measurement 9 weeks later . Available case analyses revealed a significant reduction in depression severity ( BDI ) , Cohen 's d = .64 ( CI 95 % = 0.33 - 0.94 ) , and significant improvement in social functioning ( WSA ) , Cohen 's d = .64 , 95 % ( CI 95 % = 0.33 - 0.95 ) . These improvements were maintained at 6-month follow-up . Intention-to-treat analyses confirmed significant effects on depression and social functioning improvements ( BDI : Cohen 's d = .30 , CI 95 % = 0.05 - 0.55 ; WSA : Cohen 's d = .36 , CI 95 % = 0.10 - 0.61 ) . Moreover , a much higher percentage of patients in the intervention group experienced a significant reduction of depression symptoms ( BDI : odds ratio [ OR ] = 6.8 , CI 95 % = 2.90 - 18.19 ) and recovered more often ( OR = 17.3 , 95 % CI 2.3 - 130 ) . More than 80 % of the users felt subjectively that the program had been helpful . CONCLUSIONS This integrative , Web-based intervention was effective in reducing symptoms of depression and in improving social functioning . Findings suggest that the program could serve as an adjunctive or st and -alone treatment tool for patients suffering from symptoms of depression
Conclusions : Psychoeducation is a psychosocial treatment that has been well documented as an adjunct to pharmacological therapy .
However , there are only a few studies regarding its effectiveness on adult patients with major depressive disorder .
Although the publications in this area are still very limited , the articles selected in this review suggest that psychoeducation is effective in improving the clinical course , treatment adherence , and psychosocial functioning of depressive patients
Objective : Pharmacological treatment is considered indispensable to major depressive disorder .
In spite of this , a significant number of patients do not respond adequately to treatment based only on medication , presenting high relapse and recurrence rates .
Therefore , psychosocial interventions , such as psychoeducation , have been increasingly recognized as an essential component in the treatment of depression , associated with pharmacological strategies .
Thus , the aim of the present systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of psychoeducation  for patients with unipolar depression , analyzing the evidence from the literature .