Die samestelling en evaluering van 'n gekombineerde kognitiewe gedragsterapeutiese en copingprogram vir depressielyers

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compi le and evaluate a combined cognitive behavioural approach and group coping programme for persons suffering from depression. The effect is evaluated with regard to the relief of depression symptoms, the acquisition of constructive coping strategies, the decrease of destructive coping strategies, the decrease of irrational thoughts and the improvement of social skills. In the literature study depression as a construct was analysed with the focus on psychological theories, specifically the cognitive behavioural approach which, accor￾ding to research, has achieved success in the treatment of depression. Furthermore the connection between depression and coping, as well as between depression and social support was analysed. On account of the literature investigation an interven￾tion programme was compiled. In the empirical investigation a two-group-design with pre- and after-testing was used. Third year psychology students and members of a support group for persons suffering from depression, who scored above the cut-off mark of 5 on the Beck Depression Inventory - Short Form, were randomly allotted to an experimental group (n = 30) and control group (n = 30). After the pre-testing the experimental group followed the intervention programme of nine weeks that consisted of nine sessions of two hours each. The after-testing was then conducted and for ethical reasons,members of the control group also had the opportunity to follow the programme. The following measuring instruments were used during pre- and after-testing for the evaluation of the effect of the programme: The Beck Depression Inventory - Short Form (Beck & Beamesderfer, 1974; Beck, Steer & Garbin, 1988) the Profile of Mood States - Revised (McNair, Lorr & Droppleman, 1992), Depression Coping Ques￾tionnaire (Kleinke, 1988; Kleinke, Staneski & Mason, 1982), Coping Responses Inventory - Adult Form (Moos, 1993), Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (Hollon & Kendall, 1980) and the Social Skills Inventory (Riggio, 1986; Riggio & Throckmorton, 1986). A short subjective evaluation questionnaire was conducted after each session, whilst a more comprehensive evaluation questionnaire was conducted after the last session to qualitatively evaluate programme effectiveness. From the results it appears that both the experimental group and the control group experienced a light to moderate degree of depression before commencement of the intervention programme, that both groups made equal use of approach coping strategies and avoidance coping strategies, that both experienced automatic negative thoughts and had relative good social skills. The compiled intervention programme did to an extent lead to the relief of depression symptoms (according to measurement with the help of the Beck Depression Inventory - Short Form and Profile of Mood States), on account of the fact that the degree lowered from moderate to light with the experimental group. It also lead to a decrease in irrational thoughts, as measured with the Automatic Thought Questionnaire, but coping strategies (according to measures with the help of the Depression Coping Questionnaire and the Coping Responses Inventory - Adult Form) and social skills, as measured with the Social Skills Inventory, showed no meaningful change. The qualitative evaluation of the experimental group after the programme, however, revealed that the experimental group experienced