Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the efficacy of using wake and light therapy as a supplement to standard treatment of hospitalized patients with depression.
METHOD: In this randomized, controlled study, 64 patients with moderate-to-severe depression were allocated to standard treatment or to the intervention, which additionally consisted of three wake therapy sessions in one week, 30-min daily light treatment and sleep time stabilization over the entire nine-week study period.
RESULTS: Patients in the wake therapy group had a significant decrease in depressive symptoms in week one as measured by HAM-D17 , 17.39 (CI 15.6-19.2) vs. 20.19 (CI 18.3-22.09) (P = 0.04), whereas no statistically significant differences were found between the groups in weeks two to nine. At week nine, the wake therapy group had a significantly larger increase in general self-efficacy (P = 0.001), and waking up during nights was a significantly less frequent problem (1.9 times vs. 3.2) (P = 0.0008). In most weeks, significantly fewer patients in the wake therapy group slept during the daytime, and if they slept, their naps were shorter (week three: 66 min vs. 117 min P = 0.02).
CONCLUSION: The antidepressant effect initially achieved could not be maintained during the nine-week study period. However, sleep and general self-efficacy improved.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica |
Volume | 136 |
Issue | 6 |
Pages (from-to) | 559-570 |
Number of pages | 12 |
ISSN | 0001-690X |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Dec 2017 |
Keywords
- Journal Article