Evaluating brief cognitive behavioural therapy within primary care

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a brief CBT intervention within a primary care adult mental health service.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 92 participants with mild to moderate mental health difficulties were provided with five sessions of brief CBT. Clinical improvement was measured using the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) at pre-treatment, mid-treatment and post-treatment, and on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) at pre-treatment and post-treatment.

Findings

The planned five sessions of CBT were completed by 48.9 percent (n=45) of participants. Treatment completers with full clinical data (n=31) showed large statistically significant improvements on the CORE-OM and BDI-II from pre-therapy to post-therapy. Of treatment completers and non-completers with post-therapy and mid-therapy CORE-OM data, respectively (n=34), 61.8 percent showed reliable and clinically significant change. No statistically significant differences were found between treatment completers (n=45) and non-completers (n=47) in their pre-therapy clinical scores or socio-demographic characteristics.

Practical implications

Brief CBT can be a clinically effective primary care intervention but needs to be implemented in a way that ensures high treatment engagement across a range of service users.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the evidence base of a primary care psychological intervention and demonstrates the importance of assessing treatment completion when evaluating clinical effectiveness.

Citation

McHugh, P., Gordon, M. and Byrne, M. (2014), "Evaluating brief cognitive behavioural therapy within primary care", Mental Health Review Journal, Vol. 19 No. 3, pp. 196-206. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHRJ-02-2014-0004