WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Preventive psychological interventions may be effective for adults with subthreshold depressive symptoms, according to a review published online in the December issue of The Lancet Psychiatry.
Claudia Buntrock, Ph.D., from Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg in Germany, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to quantify the effect of preventive interventions against control on major depressive disorder (MDD) onset in adults with subthreshold depressive symptoms.
Based on 30 included randomized controlled trials (7,201 participants), the researchers found that psychological interventions were associated with significantly reduced MDD incidence at posttreatment (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.57; τ2 = 0.29; 18 studies), within six months (IRR, 0.58; τ2 = 0.11; 18 studies), and within 12 months (IRR, 0.67; τ2 = 0.05; 19 studies). There was no significant effect seen at 24 months (six studies). For individuals who had not previously had psychotherapy, preventive effects were stronger. While the association was not linear, higher baseline depressive and anxiety symptom scores were associated with greater reductions in MDD onset risk. There were no significant effects by age.
“Given the significant burden of depression, clinicians and policy makers should consider preventive psychological interventions as a viable option for individuals with subthreshold depression,” the authors write.
One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
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