Benefits of Cognitive Behavior Therapy with Neuroscience-informed Psychoeducation in Young Adult Patients: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Background: Psychoeducation often is a recommended augmentation for cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) to enhance patients’ understanding of their clinical condition. But despite providing psychoeducation, there might be a lack of insightful engagement in the therapy process on the part of patients, affecting the therapy outcome. While there are neuroscience-informed psychoeducation models for addiction, there is rarely any literature on neuroscience-informed psychoeducation for CBT. It is postulated that a neuroscience-informed module of psychoeducation can bring better acceptance of CBT and improve its outcome. Methods: In this study, we used a pre- and poststudy design. Using purposive sampling, 30 consecutive young adult patients presented themselves with symptoms of depression and anxiety to receive standard CBT module. Fifteen of these received the CBT module with generic psychoeducation detailing the etiology, signs and symptoms, and treatment requirements for their condition. The other 15 received neuroscience-informed psychoeducation modules having specific inputs about the generic functioning of the human brain, the neuropsychological changes, and processes in the brain during and due to the psychotherapy (CBT) process. Acceptance and outcome of CBT were measured through changes in symptom rating as well as individual feedback, sentiment analysis of the feedback statements, and word cloud. Results: Participants of both the psychoeducation model groups – conventional psychoeducation (p < 0.001) and neuroscience-informed psychoeducation group (p < 0.001) – were found to have significant improvement in their clinical symptoms of the pre- and posttest scores. But the neuroscience-based psychoeducation group was better compliant to sessions and had better follow-up rates compared to conventional psychoeducation. Sentiment analysis of the feedback revealed a higher volume of sentiments in neuroscience-informed group. Conclusion: Neuroscience-based psychoeducation has the potential of changing perception and enhancing the credibility of CBT and can bring better acceptance and outcome for the CBT process.