Table 1. Characteristics of included studies.
Author | Year | Telephone treatment orientation | Control condition & assignment | Tx format | Number of sessions | Mental health specialist | Therapist | Outcome measure | Baseline depression mean (SD) | Psych Dx and exclusions | Comorbid Med Dx | Mean patient age | Patient gender |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bailey | 2004 | Uncertainty intervention | Randomized—TAU | Individual | 5 weekly sessions | No | Nurse | POMS-SF-D | Experimental Tx = 3.55(5.5); Control Tx = 1.53(2.6) | No information | Prostate cancer | 75 | 100% male |
Heckman | 2006 | CBT intervention | Randomized—wait-list control | Group | 12 90-min sessions | Yes | MS/PhD psychologist | GDS | Experimental Tx = 17.3(8.2); Control Tx = 15.1(7.0) | MDD = 70%; partial remission of MDD = 21%; dysthymia = 6%; minor depressive disorder = 3% | HIV/AIDS | 54 | 32% female |
Heckman | 2007 | CBT intervention | Randomized—TAU or information support*** | Group | 8 sessions | Yes | MS/PhD psychologist | BDI | BDI = 22.1(10.5) for all treatment conditions | No information | HIV/AIDS | 43 | 30% female |
Lynch* | 1997 | CBT/problem solving | Randomized—TAU | Individual | 6 weekly sessions | No | Students (psychology/MD/nurse) | HRSD | Experimental Tx = 14.4; Control Tx = 12.4 | Minor depression | Family medicine clinic—no information on Dxs | 49 | 87% female |
Miller | 2002 | Interpersonal | Randomized—no treatment control | Individual | 12 weekly sessions | Yes | PhD psychologist | HRSD | Experimental Tx = 8.34(5.39); Control Tx = 5.73(4.92); | Inclusion required Hx of depressive disorder. Excluded Dxs: bipolar, schizophreina or psychosis, severe depressive Sx | No information | 32 | 100% female |
Mohr | 2000 | CBT | Randomized—TAU | Individual | 8 weekly sessions | Yes | Doctoral student/postdoctoral | POMS-D | Experimental Tx = 33.1(12.4); Control Tx = 27.9(12.1) | No information | Multiple sclerosis | 42 | 72% female |
Mohr | 2005 | CBT versus supportive emotion focused | Randomized comparative outcome study (2 telephone psychotreatment arms) | Individual | 16 weekly sessions | Yes | PhD Psychologist | BDI-II | T-CBT: BDI = 27.0(7.8); T-supportive emotion-focused therapy = 28.3(7.9) | Current MDD = 71%. Excluded Dxs: severe psychopathology (psychosis, current substance abuse, current plan and intent to commit suicide, etc.) | Multiple sclerosis | 48 | 77% female |
Mohr** | 2006 | CBT | No control | Individual | 8 weekly sessions | Yes | PhD psychologist | BDI-II | 4/8 had current MDD and the other 4 were in partial remission; BDI = 34.3(10.3); HRSD = 23.8(5.1) | Current MDD = 50%. Excluded Dxs: severe psychopathology (psychosis, current substance abuse, current plan and intent to commit suicide, etc.) | Multiple chronic medical conditions | 57 | 100% male |
Napolitano | 2002 | CBT | Randomized—TAU | Individual | 8 weekly sessions | Yes | Graduate student | GHQ-D | Experimental Tx = 14.8(2.9); Control Tx = 14.4(2.7) | No information | Lung transplant candidates | 45 | 69% female |
Sandgren | 2003 | Emotional expression | Randomized—TAU or education*** | Individual | 5 weekly sessions | No | Nurses | POMS-D | Experimental Tx = 8.5(8.9); Control Tx = 10.7(10.7) | Information unclear | Breast cancer | 55 | 100% female |
Simon | 2004 | CBT | Randomized—TAU by primary care (pharmacotherapy) | Individual | 4 weekly sessions + 4 sessions as needed | Yes | Master's level | SCL-20 | Experimental Tx = 1.5(0.58); Control Tx = 1.6(0.62) | Excluded Dxs: bipolar disorder, schizophrenia | Primary-care patients—no information on comorbidities | 44 | 76% female |
Tutty | 2000 | CBT | Nonrandomized—TAU by primary care (pharmacotherapy) | Individual | 6 weekly sessions | Yes | Master's level | SCL-20 | Experimental Tx = 2.0(0.5); Control Tx = 1.8(0.7) | Excluded Dxs: Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, substance abuse | Primary-care patients—no information on comorbidities | 48 | 65% female |
Not included in pre-post analysis due to lack of sufficient data.
Not included in analysis of telephone-administered psychotherapy versus TAU due to absence of a control condition.
Two control arms.
Note: BDI, Beck Depression Inventory; CBT, cognitive–behavioral therapy; Dx, diagnosis; GDS, geriatric depression scale; GHQ-D, general health questionnaire–depression scale; HRSD, Hamilton rating scale for depression; Hx, history; POMS-D, profile of mood states–depression dejection scale; POMS-SF-D, profile of mood states–short form–depression dejection scale; SCL-20, symptom checklist–20 (depression scale); TAU, treatment-as-usual; Sx, symptoms; Tx, treatment.