Volunteer befriending had a statistically significant effect on achieving full or partial remission at one year among women with chronic depression compared to a waiting list control.
RCT
Randomized
Does volunteer befriending improve remission in women with chronic depression?
Volunteer befriending may be a useful adjunct to current treatments for chronic depression in women.
BACKGROUND: Earlier work on the protective role of social support in onset and course of depressive disorder suggested that its provision might be relevant for outcome. AIMS: To evaluate volunteer befriending as an intervention among women with chronic depression in inner London. METHOD: A randomised controlled trial, with a waiting list control design, with outcome measured as Present State Examination (PSE)-based full or partial remission after one year. RESULTS: A statistically significant effect upon remission was found for befriending. Other treatments monitored naturalistically did not relate to remission, nor did initial duration of chronic episode or comorbidity, but there was an association with initial PSE score. The findings are discussed in relation to standard drug-trial results and to another befriending intervention with the elderly. CONCLUSIONS: The results are not unpromising. Additional trials with less restricted intake conditions, and in more naturalistic general practice settings, might confirm volunteer befriending as a useful adjunct to current treatments.
Harris et al. (Mon,) conducted a rct in Chronic depression. Volunteer befriending vs. Waiting list control was evaluated on Present State Examination (PSE)-based full or partial remission. Volunteer befriending had a statistically significant effect on achieving full or partial remission at one year among women with chronic depression compared to a waiting list control.