Fava, et al (1996) randomly assigned 40 patients with major depressive disorder either to "standard clinical management" or to 10 sessions of Cognitive Therapy. In a four-year follow-up, standard clinical management patients had a 70% relapse rate while CT patients had a 35% relapse rate.

Paykel, et al (1999) randomly assigned 158 patients with major depression which had partially remitted following antidepressant treatment (amitriptyline or fluoxetine) to either standard clinical management or standard clinical management plus 18 sessions of CT. In a one-year follow-up, the standard clinical management patients had a 47% relapse rate while the patients who also received CT had a 29% relapse rate.

These studies raise the question of whether one should provide CT for patients who have been treated with antidepressant medication alone in order to reduce the risk of relapse.

• Fava. G. A., Grandi, S., Ziliezny, M. Rafanelli, C. & Canestrari, R. (1996). Four-year outcome for cognitive behavioral treatment of residual symptoms in major depression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 153, 945-947.


• Paykel, E.S., Scott, J., Teasdale, J.D., Johnson, A.J., Garland, A., Moore, R., Jenaway, A. Cornwall, P.L., Hayhurst, H. Abbot, R., & Pope, M. (1999). Prevention of relapse in residual depression by cognitive therapy: A controlled trial. Archives of General Psychiatry, 56, 829-835.