Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy-based interventions on psychological symptoms in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: An update review of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has long been recognized as a type of psychotherapy for the management of glycemic control and comorbid psychological disorders and symptoms in adults with diabetes, and has been previously reported with varying outcomes. The aim of this scoping review is to evaluate the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in order to determine the effects of CBT on Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients regarding depressive and anxiety symptoms, diabetes distress, and quality of life. An extensive literature search was conducted of the Pubmed, Scopus, Cinahl and Medline electronic databases. The search yielded 349 studies, of which 12 eventually met the entry requirements for RCTs. The majority of the studies included in the current scoping review demonstrated the benefits of CBT intervention in the amelioration of depressive symptoms, diabetes-related distress and quality of life in patients with T2DM. However, some studies reported limited evidence to support the use of CBT as an adjuvant therapy. The considerable levels of heterogeneity associated with most RCTs included warrant caution when interpreting results. The findings of this scoping review demonstrate the positive impact of CBT on depressive symptoms and other psychological aspects of everyday life in patients with T2DM.