A six-month follow-up study of cognitive-behavioural treatment groups for Chinese people with depression in Hong Kong

Abstract

This study presents the results of preliminary findings on the continuing effect of cognitive-behavioural treatment groups (CBT) for Chinese people in Hong Kong with depression at 6-month follow-up. Data from 18 of the 48 CBT group participants was analysed using repeated-measures ANOVAs. The same questionnaire was administered to the participants at the pretest, posttest, and 6-month followup test. The findings reveal that participants continued to maintain significantly fewer symptoms of depression and dysfunctional rules, and significantly more adaptive coping skills and positive emotions when their follow-up test scores were compared to their pretest and posttest scores. Effect size statistics showed mostly medium differences in all of the above outcome measures between the pretest and posttest, and between the pretest and follow-up test (Cohen's d = 0.51-.77). A statistical approach to clinical significance revealed that in the follow-up test, over 60% of the participants could be considered clinically recovered or clinically remitted. Lastly, the results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses provided some evidence of a linkage between cognition and depression among the participants at posttest and follow-up. This study appears to support the continuing effect of CBT groups for Chinese people in Hong Kong with depression at a 6-month follow-up.