Timing of psychoeducation for patients with depression who were treated with antidepressants: when should patients receive psychoeducation

Abstract

BackgroundWe analyzed data on the understanding of depression among patients who were prescribed antidepressants to determine when psychoeducation should be provided.Patients and methodsA total of 424 outpatients were enrolled in this study. We used an original self-administered questionnaire consisting of eight categories: (A) depressive symptoms, (B) the course of depression, (C) causes of depression, (D) the treatment plan, (E) the duration of antidepressant use, (F) discontinuation of antidepressants, (G) the side effects of antidepressants, and (H) psychotherapy. Each category was assessed with the following two questions: “Have you received an explanation of this topic from the doctor in charge?” and “How much do you understand about your treatment?” The level of understanding of patients was rated on a scale from 0 to 10 (no understanding to full understanding; 11 anchor points). Symptoms were evaluated using the Quick Inventory for Depressive Symptomatology, Japanese version (QIDS-J) and other scales. Participants were divided into two groups: patients receiving psychoeducation at their first visit vs patients receiving psychoeducation after their first visit.ResultsOf the patients who had received an explanation of each psychoeducation item, a greater proportion were in the first visit group than in the after first visit group for nearly all items. Compared with the after first visit group, the first visit group showed a better understanding of each psychoeducation item and significantly lower QIDS scores for those receiving explanations of Items A and C. There was no significant difference between the two groups in remittance rates.ConclusionPsychoeducation on depression, especially regarding the symptoms and causes of depression, should be provided at patients’ first visit.

The Effect of Social Cognitive Theory-Based Psychoeducation Towards Depression and Blood Pressure of Ischemic Stroke Patients

“…A similar study based on a metaanalysis was also conducted by (Moreno-lacalle, 2017) proving that giving psycho-education can reduce the level of depression in patients who experience psychological health problems. This is supported by study conducted by (Tomita et al, 2018) proving that appropriate psycho-education in depressed patients is effective in reducing the level of depression because patients will be more able to control themselves in managing depression.…”

The efficacy of homestyle rehabilitation on negative symptoms in chronic schizophrenia: A randomized controlled trial

“…Prior research has demonstrated that effective medication management is critical for improving compliance and reducing the risk of relapse (31,32). Health education on diseases can also play a crucial role in improving individuals' understanding of their conditions, particularly in addressing misunderstandings and confusion (33,34), which can help improve negative symptoms and support disease rehabilitation (35,36). Additionally, social skills training has emerged as a promising rehabilitation technique, with evidence suggesting that it can improve social skills, increase social support, enhance selfesteem, and reduce self-stigma, ultimately leading to the improvement of negative symptoms (37)(38)(39).…”

Why is it so hard to identify (consistent) predictors of treatment outcome in psychotherapy? – clinical and research perspectives

“…This indicates that factors that might affect treatment outcome are not static, but dynamic. For example, the timing of interventions might affect outcome [ 39 , 40 ]. Factors such as motivation, relation between therapist and patient, understanding of material and comorbid diagnoses might change throughout treatment.…”