The effect of two cognitive therapies on subjective wellbeing of individuals with depression: results from a randomised controlled trial

Abstract

Background Despite the burden associated to depression, current standards of care are still limited in scope and effectiveness. In addition, therapy outcomes have frequently focused solely on symptoms, leaving patients’ wellbeing relatively unaddressed. Aims The objective of this study was to test whether two cognitive therapies increased subjective wellbeing in a sample of adults diagnosed with a depressive disorder, additionally assessing the relationship between this growth and decreases in both depression severity and psychological distress. Methods Data from 116 participants from a randomised controlled trial comparing the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy and dilemma-focused therapy were analysed. Multilevel linear models were employed, together with correlational analyses. Results Results showed that both interventions significantly improved wellbeing with moderate to large effect sizes, while no significant differences were found between treatments. In turn, the increase in wellbeing was significantly associated to improvements in depression severity and psychological distress. Conclusions This study sheds light on the complex relationship between happiness and depression, supporting their conceptualisation as related yet independent human experiences, and strengthening subjective wellbeing as a useful outcome for psychological research. Psychotherapy is presented as an effective intervention to enhance wellbeing, even among individuals with severe depressive symptoms.