This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (211)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Myrna M. Weissman; Gerald L. Klerman, MD; Eugene S. Paykel, MD, MRCP, MRC Psych; Brigitte Prusoff, MPH; Barbara Hanson, MS

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1974;30(6):771-778.

Abstract
The effects of maintenance treatment on social adjustment are examined in depressed outpatients randomly assigned to eight months of amitriptyline hydrochloride, a placebo, or no pill, with or without psychotherapy, using a 2 x 3 factorial design.

Results for the 106 patients who completed the trial show a significant main effect for psychotherapy apparent only after six to eight months' treatment. Psychotherapy improved overall adjustment, work performance, and communication, and reduced friction and anxious rumination. There was no effect on the patients' social adjustment for amitriptyline and there were no drug/psychotherapy interactions.

The results support the value of weekly maintenance psychotherapy in recovering depressives. Since amitriptyline has been shown to reduce relapse and prevent symptom return, and psychotherapy was shown to enhance adjustment, there is evidence for combined treatments.

Author Affiliations
New Haven, Conn; Boston; London; New Haven, Conn; Foxborough, Mass

From the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine and the Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Conn (M. Weissman and B. Prusoff); Harvard Medical School and Erich Lindemann Mental Health Center, Boston (Dr. Klerman); St. George's Hospital, London (Dr. Paykel); and Foxborough State Hospital, Foxborough, Mass (B. Hanson).

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Dec 14, 1973.

Reprint requests to Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Depression Research Unit, 100 Park St, New Haven, CT 06511 (M. Weissman).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Brief Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Mothers Whose Children Are Receiving Psychiatric Treatment
Swartz et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2008;165:1155-1162.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Preliminary Findings for Two New Measures of Social and Role Functioning in the Prodromal Phase of Schizophrenia
Cornblatt et al.
Schizophr Bull 2007;33:688-702.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Combined Pharmacotherapy and Psychotherapy as Maintenance Treatment for Late-Life Depression: Effects on Social Adjustment
Lenze et al.
Focus 2005;3:136-139.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A Family-Based Approach to the Prevention of Depressive Symptoms in Children at Risk: Evidence of Parental and Child Change
Beardslee et al.
Pediatrics 2003;112:e119-131.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Combined Pharmacotherapy and Psychotherapy as Maintenance Treatment for Late-Life Depression: Effects on Social Adjustment
Lenze et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2002;159:466-468.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The dilemmas posed by new and fashionable treatments
Healy
Adv. Psychiatr. Treat. 2001;7:322-327.
FULL TEXT  

Comparison between noradrenergic and serotonergic medications using the Social Adjustment Scale: is drive enhancement necessary for recovery of social functioning?
Luty et al.
J Psychopharmacol 2001;15:257-264.
ABSTRACT  

Continuation and maintenance therapy in depression
Paykel
Br Med Bull 2001;57:145-159.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Clinical Practice Guidelines for Depression in Primary Care: What Social Workers Need to Know
Littrell
Research on Social Work Practice 1995;5:131-151.
ABSTRACT  

Interpersonal Psychotherapy: Current Status
Weissman and Markowitz
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1994;51:599-606.
ABSTRACT  

Psychosocial Treatment of Depression in Women: Nine Single-Subject Evaluations
Jensen
Research on Social Work Practice 1994;4:267-282.
ABSTRACT  

Treatments of Depression and the Functional Capacity to Work
Mintz et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1992;49:761-768.
ABSTRACT  

Three-Year Outcomes for Maintenance Therapies in Recurrent Depression
Frank et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1990;47:1093-1099.
ABSTRACT  

Prognostic Significance of Psychopathology in Treated Opiate Addicts: A 2.5-Year Follow-up Study
Rounsaville et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1986;43:739-745.
ABSTRACT  

Combined Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy for Depression: A Systematic Analysis of the Evidence
Conte et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1986;43:471-479.
ABSTRACT  

Psychosocial Functioning in Prepubertal Major Depressive Disorders: II. Interpersonal Relationships After Sustained Recovery From Affective Episode
Puig-Antich et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1985;42:511-517.
ABSTRACT  

NIMH Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program: Background and Research Plan
Elkin et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1985;42:305-316.
ABSTRACT  

Short-term Interpersonal Psychotherapy in Methadone-Maintained Opiate Addicts
Rounsaville et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1983;40:629-636.
ABSTRACT  

Depressed Outpatients: Results One Year After Treatment With Drugs and/or Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Weissman et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1981;38:51-55.
ABSTRACT  

Characterological Depressions: Clinical and Sleep EEG Findings Separating 'Subaffective Dysthymias' From 'Character Spectrum Disorders'
Akiskal et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1980;37:777-783.
ABSTRACT  

Differential Symptom Reduction by Drugs and Psychotherapy in Acute Depression
DiMascio et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1979;36:1450-1456.
ABSTRACT  

Assessment of Social Adjustment by Patient Self-Report
Weissman and Bothwell
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1976;33:1111-1115.
ABSTRACT  

The Assessment of Social Adjustment: A Review of Techniques
Weissman
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1975;32:357-365.
ABSTRACT