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Debate about the relative merits of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic psychotherapy for major depression is ongoing, but few studies have compared the therapies directly. In an industry-supported study, investigators randomized 341 unmedicated adults with unipolar major depression seen in Dutch psychiatric clinics to CBT or short-term psychodynamic supportive psychotherapy (16 sessions within 22 weeks).
Participants were not currently misusing substances. Approximately half of the group had experienced two or more previous episodes of depression, nearly half had immigrant backgrounds, and many had low socioeconomic status. Psychodynamic psychotherapy used supportive and insight-oriented techniques to explore emotional issu…