King, Michael; Davidson, Oliver; Taylor, Fiona; Haines, Andrew; Sharp, Deborah; Turner, Rebecca; (2002) Effectiveness of teaching general practitioners skills in brief cognitive behaviour therapy to treat patients with depression: randomised controlled trial. BMJ, 324 (7343). pp. 947-950. ISSN 1468-5833 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.324.7343.947
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of teaching general practitioners skills in brief cognitive behaviour therapy. DESIGN: Parallel group, cluster randomised, controlled trial of an educational package on cognitive behaviour therapy. SETTING: General practices in north London. PARTICIPANTS: 84 general practitioner principals and 272 patients attending their practices who scored above the threshold for psychological distress on the hospital anxiety and depression scale. INTERVENTION: A training package of four half days on brief cognitive behaviour therapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Scores on the depression attitude questionnaire (general practitioners) and the Beck depression inventory (patients). RESULTS: Doctors' knowledge of depression and attitudes towards its treatment showed no major difference between intervention and control groups after 6 months. The training had no discernible impact on patients' outcomes. CONCLUSION: General practitioners may require more training and support than a basic educational package on brief cognitive behaviour therapy to acquire skills to help patients with depression.