Publications Articles of interest Behavioural activation interventions for depressed individuals with a chronic physical illness: a systematic review protocolArticles of interest
Behavioural activation interventions for depressed individuals with a chronic physical illness: a systematic review protocol
Harris S, Farrand P, Dickens C. Behavioural activation interventions for depressed individuals with a chronic physical illness: a systematic review protocol.Syst Rev 2013; 2:105. doi:10.1186/2046-4053
Abstract
Depression is common in people with chronic physical illness and is associated with worse medical outcomes. Cognitive behavioural therapy and problem-solving improve depression, although usually have small to moderate effects among people with chronic physical illness. Behavioural activation interventions for depression, which aim to increase positive reinforcement from the environment by encouraging individuals to increase pleasant/rewarding activities, have been reported to be equivalent to cognitive behavioural therapy. However, the effectiveness of behavioural activation interventions for depression in individuals with chronic physical illness is unclear. The aims of this systematic review are to identify the extent to which different forms of behavioural activation have been used as a treatment for depression in this population, examine the effectiveness of the interventions, and identify any adaptations which have been made specifically to the interventions for individuals with a range of chronic physical illnesses.
