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Cognitive Therapy Skills Predict Cognitive Reactivity to Sad Mood Following Cognitive Therapy for Depression

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Abstract

Both patients’ competence in the coping skills taught in cognitive therapy (CT) and patients’ endorsement of dysfunctional cognitions following a sad mood induction [i.e., their cognitive reactivity (CR)] have been found to predict risk of relapse following a successful course of CT for depression. We examined the relationship between these constructs, specifically whether CT skills would be related to less CR following a mood induction among patients who responded to a course of CT. In a sample of 28 depressed patients, post-treatment CT skills were significantly related to less CR in response to a sad mood induction procedure (β = −.29). This relation was not accounted for by individual differences in mood reactivity. We discuss these findings as a key step in developing a more complete understanding of the role of CT coping skills and CR as markers of patients’ vulnerability to relapse.

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Fig. 1

Notes

  1. The musical selection used was “Russia under the Mongolian Yoke” recorded at half speed as performed by Prokofiev from the film Alexander Nevsky (for a review of mood induction procedures including the use of this musical selection, see Martin 1990).

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Acknowledgments

The project described was supported by the National Center for Research Resources (Award number TL1RR025753). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Research Resources or the National Institutes of Health. We thank those who helped make this research possible. Abby D. Adler, Andrew A. Cooper, Laren R. Conklin, Lizabeth A. Goldstein, and Elizabeth T. Ryan served as cognitive therapists and clinical interviewers. Abby D. Adler served as study coordinator. Daniel R. Strunk provided training in and supervision of clinical assessments and cognitive therapy.

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Strunk, D.R., Adler, A.D. & Hollars, S.N. Cognitive Therapy Skills Predict Cognitive Reactivity to Sad Mood Following Cognitive Therapy for Depression. Cogn Ther Res 37, 1214–1219 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-013-9570-z

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