Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Studies that included a comparator group were eligible for inclusion in the review. All the included studies were randomised controlled trials (RCTs).
Specific interventions included in the review
Comparisons of STPP (a minimum of 13 sessions) with CBT or BT were considered for inclusion in the review. In the included studies, STPP was used as a label that included different concepts of brief psychodynamic therapy. The studies included in the review all evaluated at least 16 sessions of STPP. The comparators were: placebo, placebo plus social skill, amitriptyline with and without social skill; CBT; BT; interpersonal psychotherapy; and clinical management, with and without imipramine.
Participants included in the review
Depression. Studies of patients with various depressive disorders were eligible for inclusion in the review. All the patients in the included studies were being treated for depression on an out-patient basis. Studies of 'considerably less' than 20 patients were excluded from the review. The majority of patients in the included studies were women, and the mean age ranged from 30.4 to 67 years.
Outcomes assessed in the review
The outcomes were:
depressive symptoms according to various scales, which were listed in the review;
the general level of psychiatric symptoms according to global symptom indicators, and also, in some studies, specific symptoms such as anxiety, neuroticism, self-esteem or interpersonal problems; and
changes in social functioning according to the Global Assessment Scale and the Social Adjustment Scale.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The author does not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many of the reviewers performed the selection.