Phone Psychotherapy for Depression Works, Gets Treatment to More Patients
By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD
June 5, 2012 -- People suffering major depression are more likely to get psychotherapy if it's offered by phone, Northwestern University researchers find.
Psychotherapy is an effective treatment for depression. Patient surveys show most would prefer psychotherapy to antidepressant drugs. Yet only a small fraction of patients referred to psychotherapy actually show up for sessions.
Would more depressed patients get psychotherapy if it were offered by phone? Would phone therapy be as effective as face-to-face therapy? Yes, say David C. Mohr, PhD, Joyce Ho, PhD, and colleagues....
