Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T22:56:57.653Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Patient experiences with group behavioural activation in a partial hospital program

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 August 2020

Aliza T. Stein Open the ORCID record for Aliza T. Stein [Opens in a new window] ,
Lulu Tian ,
Kristy Cuthbert ,
Kaitlyn R. Gorman ,
Stephanie G. Best ,
Thröstur Björgvinsson  and
Courtney Beard
Aliza T. Stein*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
Lulu Tian
Affiliation:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Kristy Cuthbert
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological and Brain Science, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
Kaitlyn R. Gorman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA
Stephanie G. Best
Affiliation:
Behavioral Health Partial Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA Department of Psychology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
Thröstur Björgvinsson
Affiliation:
Behavioral Health Partial Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA Department of Psychology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
Courtney Beard
Affiliation:
Behavioral Health Partial Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA Department of Psychology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background:

Behavioural activation (BA) is an evidence-based treatment for depression that has been primarily delivered in individual out-patient treatment. Prior research supports a positive participant experience in individual therapy; however, less is known about the patient experience in group therapy, which is common in acute psychiatric settings.

Aims:

The present study examined the patient experience of Brief Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression (BATD) delivered in group acute psychiatric treatment.

Method:

We used thematic analysis to extract themes from feedback surveys administered as part of quality improvement practice at a partial hospital program. Survey questions explored what patients learned, liked, disliked and thought could be improved in the BATD groups. Three individuals independently coded survey responses and collaboratively developed categories and themes.

Results:

Themes included several helpful content areas (e.g. value-driven activities, increasing motivation, goal setting, activity scheduling, cognitive behavioural model, self-monitoring) and learning methods (e.g. group format, experiential exercises, worksheets). Patients also identified unhelpful content (e.g. specific focus on depression and listing activities by mood). There was mixed feedback regarding the repetition of material and balance of lecture versus group participation.

Conclusion:

Overall, these findings suggest a mostly positive patient experience of group-delivered BATD and support the acceptability of group-delivered BATD as a component of short-term intensive treatment.

Keywords

behavioural activationgroup psychotherapyqualitative methods
Type
Brief Clinical Report
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 49 , Issue 1 , January 2021 , pp. 112 - 117
Copyright
© British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ekers, D., Webster, L., Van Straten, A., Cuijpers, P., Richards, D., & Gilbody, S. (2014). Behavioural activation for depression: an update of meta-analysis of effectiveness and subgroup analysis. PLoS ONE, 9, e100100. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0100100 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Finning, K., Richards, D. A., Moore, L., Ekers, D., McMillan, D., Farrand, P. A., O’Mahen, H. A., Watkins, E. R., Wright, K. A., Fletcher, E., Rhodes, S., Woodhouse, R., & Wray, F. (2017). Cost and outcome of behavioural activation versus cognitive behavioural therapy for depression (COBRA): a qualitative process evaluation. BMJ Open, 7, e014161. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014161 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hershenberg, R., & Goldstein, S. (2019, October 12). Behavioral Activation for Depression. Society of Clinical Psychology. https://www.div12.org/treatment/behavioral-activation-for-depression/ Google Scholar
Lejuez, C. W., Hopko, D. R., Acierno, R., Daughters, S. B., & Pagoto, S. L. (2011). Ten year revision of the brief behavioral activation treatment for depression: revised treatment manual. Behavior Modification, 35, 111–161. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445510390929 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lejuez, C. W., Hopko, D. R., & Hopko, S. D. (2001). A brief behavioral activation treatment for depression: treatment manual. Behavior Modification, 25, 255–286. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145445501252005 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Supplementary material: File

Stein et al. supplementary material

Stein et al. supplementary material

Download Stein et al. supplementary material(File)
File 69.8 KB
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.