The Effects of Psychotherapy on Reducing Depression in Residential Aged Care: A Meta-Analytic Review

Published and unpublished randomized controlled trials of psychotherapeutic treatments for depression in residential aged care were systematically reviewed. A medium effect size was found to favor psychotherapy for reducing symptoms of depression in residents (average age, 79.8 years) based on 17 trials. The effect was maintained at follow-up, but was weaker and not statistically significant when interventions were compared with active control conditions in 6 trials. There was heterogeneity across studies; however, potential moderating factors were difficult to identify due to large within-study variance. A sensitivity analysis revealed that the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) 15-item version produced a larger effect size than did the GDS-30, and an integrated care approach was more effective than providing psychological interventions independent of aged care staff.