Cognitive behavioral therapy and emotion-focused therapy for depression in a routine care setting: A randomized controlled pilot trial

Objective This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to preliminarily assess the efficacy and acceptability of Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Emotion-focused therapy (EFT) in short-term treatment of depression within a Norwegian mental health program. The study also addresses procedural elements relevant for future research development.Method In a parallel two-arm RCT, 111 participants (mean age: 42, 70.6% female) with major depression were randomly allocated to 9–18 sessions of either CBT (n = 55) or EFT (n = 56). Five participants in CBT and four in EFT withdrew their consent, resulting in final sample sizes of CBT (n = 50) and EFT (n = 52). Self-reported depressive symptoms (BDI-II) were measured post-session and at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Data were analyzed using multilevel modeling.Results The results showed a significant improvement in symptoms from start to follow-up, as measured by the BDI-II (d = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.45, 0.66). No significant differences were found between conditions; however, the small sample size prevents definitive conclusions about possible differences. Drop-out was low (Total: 6.31%; CBT: 10.91%, EFT: 1.79%).Conclusion Our findings support the efficacy and acceptability of CBT and EFT in short-term treatment of depression in a Norwegian setting.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04690946..