Depression: Intervention Methods
Student name
University
SWK 7703
April 17, 2022
Depression: Intervention Methods
Businesses are becoming increasingly concerned with their employees’ mental health. Among working-age adults, depression is the leading cause of disability, absenteeism, presenteeism, and productivity loss. Depression is a multifaceted illness that can strike anyone and is characterized by changes in thinking, mood, or behavior. Depression is influenced by genetics, physiology (for example, neurotransmitters), psychology (for example, personality and temperament), gender, and environment (e.g., the physical environment and social support). As a result, this paper will discuss depression intervention techniques, their advantages and disadvantages, as well as ethical issues (Moorey & Hollon, 2021).
Intervention method
According to the American Psychological Association1, cognitive therapy (CT), behavioral activation (which can be used alone or as a component of CT), interpersonal psychotherapy, and problem-solving therapy all have strong evidence of efficacy in the treatment of major depressive disorder when compared to the criteria for evidence-based psychotherapies developed by Chambless and Hollon (MDD) (Beth & Gibbons, 2018). Short-term dynamic psychotherapy is considered to have a low rate of efficacy.
CT has been shown to be efficacious and effective in the treatment of MDD in both controlled and real-world efficacy trials. Given the significant pain and suffering endured by those who will develop MDD at some point in their lives, the research validating the effects of CT thus far justifies the time and resources required to implement this intervention in outpatient settings. Psychological interventions are an effective and acceptable treatment strategy for depression, according to treatment guidelines (Beth & Gibbons, 2018). The most frequently used psychological interventions are for mild-to-moderate depressive episodes.
How it works
According to cognitive therapy, the majority of problems are multifaceted. These components include the following:
- the way an individual perceives the problem
- the individual’s perspective on the subject
- the individual’s perceptions of the issue
- the individual’s current bodily sensations
- the actions of the individual prior to, during, and following the occurrence of the problem
A patient learns to “disassemble” problems into these various components as part of cognitive therapy (CDC, 2021). When an individual takes this approach, previously insurmountable problems become manageable. A trained therapist teaches cognitive therapy tools during routine cognitive therapy sessions. Between sessions, the patient frequently completes homework. This homework assignment teaches the learner how to apply the tools to specific life situations (Corcoran, 2017).
Strengths and Limitations
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of talk therapy that combines behavioral and talk therapy to assist individuals in reframing their negative thinking patterns (Gautam et al., 2020). CBT’s objective is to assist you in shifting from negative to positive thinking patterns. When a person achieves this shift in perspective, positive behaviors and actions emerge during difficult times or choices in their lives (Psychology Loganholme, 2019). The following section discusses the advantages and disadvantages of cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Strengths
- It is as effective as medication in the treatment of certain types of mental illness.
- CBT is faster than other types of talking therapy.
- CBT takes on a variety of forms, depending on the issue at hand.
- CBT provides a diverse array of therapy session formats and tools.
- The skills acquired during each CBT session are transferrable to real-world situations.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) entails teamwork.
- CBT is beneficial for individuals of all ages.
Limitations
- Cognitive behavioral therapy is predicated on the patient’s willingness.
- CBT takes a long time to complete due to the additional work required between sessions.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy is ineffective for individuals with specific learning disabilities.
- Individuals suffering from severe mental illnesses may not benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy has a history of making people feel worse before they feel better.
- CBT is a problem-solving technique that focuses exclusively on current problems rather than addressing underlying causes.
- It emphasizes a person’s capacity for change.
Potential ethical concerns
Competence
Competence is a central concern in psychotherapy ethics. It is referenced in every major ethical code or practice guideline across multiple geographic regions. Historically, competence has been interpreted as a prohibition against practicing outside one’s area of expertise out of concern for harming the client, exacerbating their distress, or jeopardizing the therapeutic alliance (Ratnayake & Poppe, 2020). There are two possible interpretations of competence. First, competence serves as a reminder to stay current on industry developments and to avoid practicing in areas unrelated to one’s area of specialized training. Second, professionals should avoid working with unfamiliar populations without additional training and consultation (Moorey & Hollon, 2021).
Client Agency and the Therapeutic Alliance
The therapeutic alliance faces difficulties in assessing the validity and utility of thoughts. This issue is inextricably linked to concerns about client agency. For instance, communication that makes a client feel as though their agency is being violated is likely to sabotage the therapeutic alliance (Ratnayake & Poppe, 2020). Understanding the client as an agent with their own beliefs, values, and boundaries that must be respected and, where possible, enhanced is a concept that appears in numerous codes. At times, such concepts are discussed directly; at other times, they are considered in terms of the following: autonomy or self-determination values and principles, client dignity, and respect for client boundaries.
References
Beth, M., & Gibbons, C. (2018, July 31). Psychotherapeutic interventions for depression: Which work best? Psychiatric Times. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/psychotherapeutic-interventions-depression-which-work-best?msclkid=f672a03ebdb911ec902999ebe8e7f9ea
CDC. (2021, May 12). Depression evaluation measures. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/health-strategies/depression/evaluation-measures/index.html
Corcoran, J. (2017). Interventions for adolescent depression. Encyclopedia of Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.1214
Gautam, M., Tripathi, A., Deshmukh, D., & Gaur, M. (2020). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 62(8), 223. https://doi.org/10.4103/psychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_772_19
Moorey, S., & Hollon, S. D. (2021). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190236557.013.837
Psychology Loganholme. (2019, April 21). Strengths and limitations of CBT. M1 Psychology Loganholme Brisbane Psychologist Clinic. https://m1psychology.com/strengths-and-limitations-of-cbt/?msclkid=633030cfbdbd11ecaae068d98174c2ce
Ratnayake, S., & Poppe, C. (2020). Ethical issues in cognitive-behavioral therapy. Oxford Handbook of Psychotherapy Ethics, 513-528. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198817338.013.43
