Long-term effects of psychotherapy on moderate depression: a comparative study of narrative therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy

Background: In a previous clinical controlled trial (Lopes et al., 2014), narrative therapy (NT) showed
promising results in ameliorating depressive symptoms with comparable outcomes to cognitivebehavioral
therapy (CBT) when patients completed treatment. This paper aims to assess depressive
symptoms and interpersonal problems in this clinical sample at follow-up.
Methods: Using the Beck Depression Inventory-II and Outcome Questionnaire-45.2 Interpersonal
Relations Scale, naturalistic prospective follow-up assessment was conducted at 21 and 31 months after
the last treatment session.
Results: At follow-up, patients kept improving in terms of depressive symptoms and interpersonal
problems. The odds that a patient maintained recovery from depressive symptoms at follow-up were five
times higher than the odds that a patient maintained recovery from interpersonal problems. In the same
way, the odds of a patient never recovering from interpersonal problems were five times higher than the
odds of never recovering from depressive symptoms.
Limitations: The study did not control for the natural course of depression or treatment continuation.
Conclusions: For depressed patients with greater interpersonal disabilities, longer treatment plans and
alternative continuation treatments should be considered.
The Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) supported this article through the Research Project "Ambivalence and Unsuccessful Psychotherapy" [PTDC/PSI-PCL/121525/2010], coordinated by M. Goncalves, and through a doctoral grant to R. Lopes [SFRH/BD/47343/2008].The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.