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Recent meta-analyses have suggested that short-term dynamic psychotherapy is effective for depression, and antidepressants have well-established efficacy. These researchers randomized 157 patients with major depression (minimum score on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, 14; 59% women; 52% minority race; 75% with low income) to 16 weeks of sertraline, weekly psychotherapy by experienced therapists, or pill placebo. Medication and placebo recipients also had clinical management; if they lacked response by week 8, they were switched to venlafaxine or another placebo, respectively.
No differences at 16 weeks were found between the three arms (response: medication, 30.9%; psychotherapy, 27.5%; placebo, 24.0%; remission: 25.5%, 21.6%, and …