Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Group Counseling
Condition: Depression Moderate; Depression Mild
MeSH terms: Depression; Depressive Disorder
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The university environment presents a valuable opportunity to reach the young population of
      society, which has a high risk of depression, and to provide protective mental-health
      services. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral
      therapy-based group counseling focused on the depressive symptoms, anxiety levels, automatic
      thoughts, and coping ways among undergraduate nursing students with mild to moderate
      depressive symptoms.
    

Detailed description: 
      This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy-based group
      counseling focused on the depressive symptoms, anxiety levels, automatic thoughts, and coping
      ways among undergraduate nursing students with mild to moderate depressive symptoms.

      The study was completed with a total of 63 participants (n=31 for the intervention group and
      n=32 for the control group) in the 2017-2018 academic year. The effect of the intervention
      was evaluated with the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Automatic Thoughts
      Questionnaire, and Ways of Coping Questionnaire. The measurements were taken 3 times:
      pre-test, post-test, and 2-months post-test.
    

Intervention name(s): Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Group Counseling
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Relaxation techniques
Providing personal development books
Sharing the factors affecting the situation defined as depression (brainstorming)
Explaining the link between depressive symptoms, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
Explaining automatic thoughts
Application of relaxation techniques; deep-breathing exercises
Identifying alternative thoughts
Explaining the correlation between alternative thoughts and mood
Introduction of the Automatic-Thought Registration Form and distribution to students
Describing the effects of depression on social interaction
Explaining activities that could be done individually and with the group
Distribution of the activity list to students
Description of ways of coping with stress
Determination of individual stressors and their effects
Planning for the future: preventing depression
Discussion of assumptions/expectations about life
Homeworks related to session contents
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: The study used a randomized control clinical trial design. In the BDI pre-test, 80 of the students with mild or moderate depressive symptoms met the other inclusion criteria of the study and volunteered to participate in the study. Out of 80 participants, 40 were randomly assigned to the intervention group and 40 to the control group using computer-generated random number sequences. The study was completed with a total of 63 participants (n=31 for the intervention group; n=32 for the control group). While CBT-based group counseling was given to the intervention group, no counseling was given to the control group during the study.
The participants were evaluated at three time points: at screening (pre-test), six weeks after screening (post-intervention/post-test), and two months after the post-test. The measurements were taken simultaneously in the intervention and control groups.
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: depression; cognitive behavioral therapy; group counseling; nursing students