The Role of Perceived Social Support in the Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Mild Depressive Disorder, Dysthymia and Minor Depression: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study

Objective: In clinical work, patients with mild depressive disorder, dysthymia and minor depression share similar depressive symptoms. According to our previous study, most of these patients could benefit from the manual-based group cognitive behavioral therapy (GCBT). The current study was a post hoc analysis to explore whether perceived social support might influence the efficacy of GCBT for patients with mild depressive disorder, dysthymia and minor depression in two-year follow-up period. Methods: Patients with mild depressive disorder, dysthymia and minor depression were treated with GCBT. Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-17) were assessed at baseline, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 24, week 36, week 48 and two years. Data was analyzed based on the intention-to-treat group. Results: One hundred participants were divided into High-perceived social support group and Low-perceived social support group according to the mean score of MSPSS at baseline. The total scores of HRSD-17 were declined significantly from baseline to the end of GCBT in both groups and differed significantly from each other at week 4, week 8 and week 12 (P<0.05). There were no significant differences of the total scores of HRSD-17 between two groups at different follow-up points (P>0.05). Conclusion: The present research suggested perceived social support played a considerable role when patients received GCBT. Patients with high-perceived social support would benefit more and faster from GCBT than those with low-perceived social support. Increasing perceived social support might be helpful for those patients who want to benefit more from GCBT.