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Background: Childhood trauma is a common and potent risk factor for developing major depressive disorder in adulthood, associated with earlier onset, more chronic or recurrent symptoms, and greater probability of having comorbidities. Some studies indicate that evidence-based pharmacotherapies and psychotherapies for adult depression might be less efficacious in patients with a history of childhood trauma than patients without childhood trauma, but findings are inconsistent. Therefore, we examined whether individuals with major depressive disorder, including chronic forms of depression, and a reported history of childhood trauma, had more severe depressive symptoms before treatment, had more unfavourable treatment outcomes following active treatments, and were less likely to benefit from active treatments relative to a control condition, compared with individuals with depression without childhood trauma. Methods: We did a comprehensive meta-analysis (PROSPERO CRD42020220139). Study selection combined the search of bibliographical databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase) from Nov 21, 2013, to March 16, 2020, and full-text randomised clinical trials (RCTs) identified from several sources (1966 up to 2016–19) to identify articles in English. RCTs and open trials comparing the efficacy or effectiveness of evidence-based pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, or combination intervention for adult patients with depressive disorders and the presence or absence of childhood trauma were included. Two independent researchers extracted study characteristics. Group data for effect-size calculations were requested from study authors. The primary outcome was depression severity change from baseline to the end of the acute treatment phase, expressed as standardised effect size (Hedges' g). Meta-analyses were done using random-effects models. Findings: From 10 505 publications, 54 trials met the inclusion criteria, of which 29 (20 RCTs and nine open trials) contributed data of a maximum of 6830 participants (age range 18–85 years, male and female individuals and specific ethnicity data unavailable). More than half (4268 [62%] of 6830) of patients with major depressive disorder reported a history of childhood trauma. Despite having more severe depression at baseline (g=0·202, 95% CI 0·145 to 0·258, I2=0%), patients with childhood trauma benefitted from active treatment similarly to patients without childhood trauma history (treatment effect difference between groups g=0·016, –0·094 to 0·125, I2=44·3%), with no significant difference in active treatment effects (vs control condition) between individuals with and without childhood trauma (childhood trauma g=0·605, 0·294 to 0·916, I2=58·0%; no childhood trauma g=0·178, –0·195 to 0·552, I2=67·5%; between-group difference p=0·051), and similar dropout rates (risk ratio 1·063, 0·945 to 1·195, I2=0%). Findings did not significantly differ by childhood trauma type, study design, depression diagnosis, assessment method of childhood trauma, study quality, year, or treatment type or length, but differed by country (North American studies showed larger treatment effects for patients with childhood trauma; false discovery rate corrected p=0·0080). Most studies had a moderate to high risk of bias (21 [72%] of 29), but the sensitivity analysis in low-bias studies yielded similar findings to when all studies were included. Interpretation: Contrary to previous studies, we found evidence that the symptoms of patients with major depressive disorder and childhood trauma significantly improve after pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments, notwithstanding their higher severity of depressive symptoms. Evidence-based psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy should be offered to patients with major depressive disorder regardless of childhood trauma status. Funding: None.

Background Depressive and anxiety disorders are often associated with suicide ideation (SI) and attempt (SA). However, analyses of prevalence, course, and more specific risk mechanisms are needed to improve knowledge and detection of high risk individuals with depressive and anxiety disorders. Previous studies often lacked statistical power, assessment of detailed determinants and follow-up measurements. Methods The Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), a large cohort study, overcomes some earlier limitations. Scale for Suicide Ideation and Compositive Interview Diagnostic Instrument data were analyzed to report on prevalence of SI and SA. Additionally, important sociodemographic, clinical, psychological, environmental, and neurobiological determinants and course of SI and SA identified in depressive and/or anxiety disorder respondents in 16 NESDA articles were summarized. Results Within respondents with 12-month diagnosis (n=1,783), SI and 12-month SA prevalence ranged from 17.1-20.1% and 0.8-3.0% respectively across 5 waves during 9-year follow-up and SI was highly recurrent. Both SI and SA were especially associated with comorbid depression and anxiety, higher clinical severity, sleep dysfunctions, higher aggression and hopelessness, and childhood trauma. In the (neuro)biological domain, SI was linked with immune dysregulation and SA with abnormal brain activity during emotion processing and genetic risk. Limitations Most articles were cross-sectional in nature, preventing causal inferences and no conclusions could be drawn about the overall magnitude of results. Conclusion SI and SA are multifactorial phenomena and especially prevalent amongst comorbid depressive and anxiety respondents. Considering many overlapping SI and SA determinants, more neurobiological determinants and use of innovative methodological techniques are desirable.

Objective: Symptoms of depression are highly prevalent and undertreated in dialysis patients. To aid clinicians in offering treatment to patients with depression, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the treatment of current depressive symptoms in dialysis patients. Methods: Nine databases were searched on January 8th 2020 for randomized controlled trials on the treatment of depressive symptoms in dialysis patients. In contradiction to previous reviews, we only included studies who selected patients with a score above a defined cut-off for depressive symptoms and used an inactive control group, to investigate the effectiveness of treatments in currently depressed patients. All interventions aimed to treat depressive symptoms were accepted for inclusion. Standardized mean differences were calculated in a random effect meta-analysis. Results: Seventeen studies were included in the systematic review (1640 patients). Nine studies could be included in the meta-analysis. A pooled analysis of 7 studies on psychotherapy showed a standardized mean difference of −0.48 [−0.87; −0.08], with a moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 52%, X2 = 12.56, p = .05). All studies on psychotherapy performed a per protocol analysis and scored high on potential bias. A pooled analysis of two studies on SSRI's showed no statistically significant improvement of depressive symptoms (SMD −0.57 [−6.17; 5.02], I2 = 71%, X2 = 0.2474, p = .06). Conclusions: Psychotherapy is a promising treatment for currently depressed dialysis patients, although quality of evidence is low. More evidence is needed regarding the efficacy of SSRI's, exercise therapy and dietary supplements in this population. PROSPERO: CRD42018073969

ObjectiveTherapeutic alliance has consistently been found to predict treatment outcomes across various psychotherapies and patient diagnosis. However, the relationship between therapeutic alliance and outcome in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has shown mixed results. This study investigated the impact of different aspects of therapeutic alliance in CBT for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).MethodData from two previously completed randomized controlled trials of 208 patients with OCD and their therapists were analyzed. Therapeutic alliance was assessed at week 4 of treatment with the patient-rated and therapist-rated Working Alliance Inventory (WAI), which includes three subscales to measure alliance domains (Goal, Task and Bond). Higher WAI score reflects a better therapeutic relationship. OCD severity was rated by independent assessors at baseline and post-treatment using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Linear regression analyses were used to examine the effects of the different aspects of therapeutic alliance on treatment outcome, adjusted for baseline symptom severity.ResultsA higher total WAI score as rated by therapists significantly predicted a lower post-treatment Y-BOCS. Further, higher scores on the Goal and Task subscales of the WAI were associated with lower post-treatment severity. However, these significant outcomes reflected only small effect sizes.ConclusionsIn the treatment of OCD, the strength of the therapeutic alliance contributes to outcomes, though to a limited extent. Effective OCD treatment involves the delivery of specific therapy interventions, in the context of a strong therapeutic alliance.

Background Many frequently used instruments fail to assess psychosocial functioning in patients with bipolar disorder. The Functioning Assessment Short Test (FAST) was developed in order to tackle this problem and to assess the main functioning problems experienced by patients with bipolar disorder. However, the original FAST is not fully applicable in older adults due to the domain of occupational functioning. The aim of our study was to validate an adapted version for Older adults (FAST-O) in a group of older adults with bipolar disorder (OABD). Methods 88 patients aged 50 years and over diagnosed with bipolar disorder were included. We adapted the items in the area of “work-related functioning” of the FAST into items assessing “societal functioning”. Several measurements were conducted in order to analyse the psychometric qualities of the FAST-O (confirmatory factor analysis for internal structure, Cronbach’s alpha for internal consistency, Spearman’s rho for concurrent validity, Mann–Whitney U test for discriminant validity). Results Mean age in the study sample was 65.3 (SD = 7.5) and 57.3% was female. The internal structure was most similar to the internal structure of the original FAST. The internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach’s alpha = .93). The concurrent validity when correlated with the Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale was low, but significant. The FAST-O was also able to distinguish between euthymic and symptomatic OABD patients. Conclusions The FAST-O has strong psychometric qualities. Based on our results, we can conclude that the FAST-O is a short, efficient solution in order to replace global rating scales or extensive test batteries in order to assess daily functioning of older psychiatric patients in a valid and reliable manner.

Objective: Individuals with a depressive and/or anxiety disorder are known to have an elevated risk of suicide. However, these diagnoses alone are insufficient at differentiating patients with suicide ideation that attempt suicide from those that do not. Few studies examined such differences in an ideation-to-action framework. Using this framework, extensive multivariate testing was performed to examine differences between suicidal patients with and without a suicide attempt. Method: Data were from 1576 respondents with a depressive and/or anxiety disorder, participating in the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety. Logistic regression analyses were used to analyze associations between sociodemographic, clinical, personality, and psychosocial risk factors and suicide ideation and attempt. Results: Patients with suicide ideation could be uniquely distinguished from non-suicidal patients by more years of education, presence of a depressive disorder (vs anxiety disorder) and higher introversion. Patients with suicide ideation and a past suicide attempt could be uniquely distinguished from non-suicidal patients by a younger age of onset, a lifetime alcohol use disorder, more external locus of control and lower levels of social support. Within the group of patients with suicide ideation, patients with a suicide attempt were more likely to have childhood trauma and lower education, and be of non-Western descent than patients with suicide ideation and no past attempt. Conclusion: This study found that although various clinical, personality and psychosocial characteristics distinguish patients with suicide ideation from non-suicidal patients, many of these often-cited factors do not distinguish patients with a suicide attempt from those who only think about suicide. However, childhood trauma, lower education and non-Western descent could aid in detecting suicide attempt risk among patients with suicide ideation.

Objectives: Research on factors that contribute to recurrence in older adults with bipolar disorder (OABD) is sparse. Previous research showed that clinical factors (e.g., age of onset, lifetime psychotic features, and suicide risk) were not associated with the recurrence in OABD. In younger adults, worse social functioning, coping style, and worse cognitive functioning are found to be associated with an unfavorable course of bipolar disorder. Therefore, this study is focusing on social, psychological, and cognitive factors in OABD. More insight in these factors is essential in order to develop and further specify preventive and treatment interventions. Methods: Data were used from the Dutch Older Bipolars (DOBi) cohort study. We included 64 patients for 3-year follow-up measurements, who were divided in a recurrent group and a nonrecurrent group. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess associations between social, psychological, and cognitive factors, and nonrecurrence. Results: 39.1% reported at least one recurrence during the 3-year follow-up period. No significant associations were found between the social, psychological, and cognitive factors and having a recurrence during the follow-up period. Discussion: Participants in the recurrent group were younger, more often female and less likely to have children. Our results suggest that results from the adult bipolar disorder population cannot be extrapolated to OABD patients, underlining the need for longitudinal studies in OABD.

BackgroundIt is unclear what session frequency is most effective in cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) for depression.AimsCompare the effects of once weekly and twice weekly sessions of CBT and IPT for depression.MethodWe conducted a multicentre randomised trial from November 2014 through December 2017. We recruited 200 adults with depression across nine specialised mental health centres in the Netherlands. This study used a 2 × 2 factorial design, randomising patients to once or twice weekly sessions of CBT or IPT over 16–24 weeks, up to a maximum of 20 sessions. Main outcome measures were depression severity, measured with the Beck Depression Inventory-II at baseline, before session 1, and 2 weeks, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 months after start of the intervention. Intention-to-treat analyses were conducted.ResultsCompared with patients who received weekly sessions, patients who received twice weekly sessions showed a statistically significant decrease in depressive symptoms (estimated mean difference between weekly and twice weekly sessions at month 6: 3.85 points, difference in effect size d = 0.55), lower attrition rates (n = 16 compared with n = 32) and an increased rate of response (hazard ratio 1.48, 95% CI 1.00–2.18).ConclusionsIn clinical practice settings, delivery of twice weekly sessions of CBT and IPT for depression is a way to improve depression treatment outcomes.

Contains fulltext : 219241.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) INTRODUCTION: Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder where most patients do not reach full symptomatic remission. Identifying predictors of course can improve patients' care by informing clinicians on prognosis and enhancing treatment strategies. Several predictors associated with improved outcome of OCD were identified. However, research focused mainly on clinical, illness-related predictors of the course of OCD. This study examined the contribution of environmental and interpersonal predictors on the long-term outcome of OCD, in addition to the previously identified clinical indicators. METHODS: We used the baseline, two and four-year data of 382 adult OCD patients participating in the naturalistic cohort study of the Netherlands Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Association (NOCDA). Remission was assessed using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Predictors of outcome were assessed at baseline, via clinician-rated and self-report instruments. RESULTS: Remission at two and at four-year follow-up ranged from 11% to 26%. Early age of onset and the presence of childhood trauma predicted a worse four-year course. Secure attachment style emerged as a protective predictor of improved outcome. LIMITATIONS: The naturalistic design of our study did not enable a systematic estimation the effect of treatments received during the follow-up period. Furthermore, age of onset and childhood trauma were assessed retrospectively, which may contribute to recall bias. CONCLUSION: Results coincide with previous prediction research and stress the importance of adaptive interpersonal functioning in the course of OCD. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed. 9 p.

Aims: The identification and discussion of sexual care needs in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in primary care is currently insufficient. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of sexual dissatisfaction, sexual problems and need for help by using a screening instrument among people with T2DM in primary care. Methods: Data were collected in 45 general practices in the Netherlands from January 2015 to February 2016. The Brief Sexual Symptom Checklist (BSSC) was used to screen among 40-75 year old men and women. Results: In total, 786 people with T2DM (66.5% men) were screened. The prevalence of sexual dissatisfaction was 36.6%, significantly higher among men than among women (41.1% vs. 27.8%). Sexually dissatisfied men most often reported erectile dysfunction (71.6%); for sexually dissatisfied women, low sexual desire (52.8%) and lubrication problems (45.8%) were most common. More than half of all dissatisfied people had a need for care (61.8%), significantly more men than women (66.8% vs. 47.2%). Conclusions: One third of people with T2DM is sexually dissatisfied and more than half of these people report a need for help. The BSSC could be used a tool to proactively identify sexually dissatisfied people in primary care. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Objective Some patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) think that their obsessive-compulsive beliefs are true. These patients have OCD with poor or absent insight, a clinical profile that poses a challenge to the clinician. The purpose of this study is to characterize the clinical profile of poor insight OCD and study the impact of poor insight on the two year course of OCD. Method Data were analysed of 253 adult patients with OCD, participating in the prospective naturalistic Netherlands Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Association (NOCDA) Study. Insight was measured using a standardized instrument, the Overvalued Ideas Scale. Results Good, fair, poor and absent insight occurred at every severity level of OCD. Poor insight was associated with higher OCD symptom severity, more chronicity, more comorbidity and predicted poor outcome at two-year follow-up, independently of treatment, severity of OCD- and depressive symptoms, age of onset, comorbidity and chronicity of OCD. Conclusions More severe and more complex symptoms characterize OCD with poor insight. Poor insight occurs at every severity level of OCD and appears to be an independent phenomenon which predicts poor outcome in OCD. Future work should determine whether improving insight causes better outcome in OCD.

Although effective treatments for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are increasingly available, a considerable percentage of patients fails to respond or relapses. Predictors associated with improved outcome of OCD were identified. However, information on interpersonal determinants is lacking. This study investigated the contribution of attachment style and expressed emotion to the outcome of exposure and response prevention (ERP), while accounting for previously documented intrapersonal (i.e., symptom severity and personality pathology) predictors. Using logistic regression analyses and multi-level modeling, we examined predictors of treatment completion and outcome among 118 adult OCD patients who entered ERP. We assessed outcome at post treatment, and at four and 13 months from treatment completion. OCD baseline severity and fearful attachment style emerged as the main moderators of treatment outcome. Severe and fearfully attached patients were more likely to dropout prematurely. The improvement of fearful clients was attenuated throughout treatment and follow-up compared to non-fearful clients. However, their symptom worsening at the long-term was also mitigated. Severe OCD patients had a more rapid symptom reduction during treatment and at follow-up, compared to less severe clients. The findings suggest that both baseline OCD severity and fearful attachment style play a role in the long-term outcome of ERP.

Background Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment, but access is often restricted due to costs and limited availability of trained therapists. Blending online and face-to-face CBT for depression might improve cost-effectiveness and treatment availability. Objective This pilot study aimed to examine the costs and effectiveness of blended CBT compared with standard CBT for depressed patients in specialized mental health care to guide further research and development of blended CBT. Methods Patients were randomly allocated to blended CBT (n=53) or standard CBT (n=49). Blended CBT consisted of 10 weekly face-to-face sessions and 9 Web-based sessions. Standard CBT consisted of 15 to 20 weekly face-to-face sessions. At baseline and 10, 20, and 30 weeks after start of treatment, self-assessed depression severity, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and costs were measured. Clinicians, blinded to treatment allocation, assessed psychopathology at all time points. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models. Uncertainty intervals around cost and effect estimates were estimated with 5000 Monte Carlo simulations. Results Blended CBT treatment duration was mean 19.0 (SD 12.6) weeks versus mean 33.2 (SD 23.0) weeks in standard CBT (P Conclusions This pilot study shows that blended CBT might be a promising way to engage depressed patients in specialized mental health care. Compared with standard CBT, blended CBT was not considered cost-effective from a societal perspective but had an acceptable probability of being cost-effective from the health care provider perspective. Results should be carefully interpreted due to the small sample size. Further research in larger replication studies focused on optimizing the clinical effects of blended CBT and its budget impact is warranted. Trial Registration Netherlands Trial Register NTR4650; https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/4408 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.1186/s12888-014-0290-z

Objective:Several cross-sectional studies have related depressive and anxiety disorders to shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) as an indicator of cellular aging. However, these studies have left many unresolved questions about underlying causality and ordering of associations. The objective of the present large, longitudinal study was to examine the relationship between depressive and anxiety disorders and LTL over a 6-year time period.Method:Data are from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety, including 2,292 patients with remitted and current diagnoses of depressive or anxiety disorders and 644 healthy control subjects. LTL was assessed using quantitative PCR and measured at baseline and after 6 years; depressive and anxiety disorder diagnoses and characteristics (course, duration, and severity) were determined at baseline and after 2, 4, and 6 years.Results:Results showed that persons with remitted (B=−52.6) and current (B=−60.8) depressive or anxiety disorder had consistently shorter LTL...

Background Research has shown that depressed patients suffer from reduced autobiographical memory specificity (rAMS). This cognitive phenomenon is associated with the maintenance and recurrence of depressive symptoms. Objectives This pilot study aims to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of a relatively new group-based intervention (Memory Specificity Training; MeST) that aims to reduce rAMS in an outpatient setting. Methods Twenty-six depressed outpatients received MeST during the waiting period prior to psychotherapy. The Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) was used to measure client satisfaction after the training. The Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT) was used to measure memory specificity before and after the training. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), before and after the training, and at a 3-month follow-up. Results Participants as well as trainers were positive about the use of MeST. Participants also showed an increase in memory specificity and a decrease in depressive symptoms. Conclusions This study suggests that MeST is feasible in an outpatient setting, that it increases autobiographical memory specificity and that it may decrease depressive symptoms. A randomized controlled trial is recommended to examine MeST and its effects on autobiographical memory specificity, depressive symptoms and depressive relapse more extensively. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Key Practitioner Message: Research suggests that modification of rAMS can advance recovery and reduce the chance of developing a depression relapse. However, most existing psychotherapies for depression do not include these specific interventions. This is the first study to show that MeST in an outpatient setting is feasible and can lead to an increase in autobiographical memory specificity and that it may decrease depressive symptoms. A larger scale randomized controlled trial is required to examine whether the addition of MeST to care as usual decreases depressive symptoms more effectively than care as usual without MeST, and to examine whether subgroups of patients benefit specifically from this intervention (e.g. patients with more severely decreased memory specificity).

Objective: In recent years there has been some ambiguity about the way hoarding and OCD are related to each other. The present study examines the differences between persons with OCD/hoarding and OCD/non-hoarding and examines which characteristics are associated with the OCD/hoarding group. Information is established about prevalences, socio-demographical characteristics, OCD and related characteristics, OCD subtypes, comorbidity (depression, anxiety disorders and PTSD) and personality traits. Methods: Data from baseline assessment of The Netherlands Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Association (NOCDA) study are used. The NOCDA sample consists of 419 participants between 18 and 79 years of age, including participants with current or remitted full DSM-IV-TR criteria for OCD. Results: Results show that 58 persons (14.3%) are classified as persons with OCD/hoarding and 349 persons (85,7%) are classified as persons with OCD/non-hoarding. OCD/hoarding is independently associated with severity of autism symptoms (p

Background: The biological mechanism of depression in multiple sclerosis (MS) is not well understood. Based on work in major depressive disorder, fronto-limbic disconnection might be important. Objective: To investigate structural and functional fronto-limbic changes in depressed MS (DMS) and non-depressed MS (nDMS) patients. Methods: In this retrospective study, 22 moderate-to-severe DMS patients (disease duration 8.2 ± 7.7 years), 21 nDMS patients (disease duration 15.3 ± 8.3 years), and 12 healthy controls underwent neuropsychological testing and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; 1.5 T). Brain volumes (white matter (WM), gray matter, amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus), lesion load, fractional anisotropy (FA) of fronto-limbic tracts, and resting-state functional connectivity (FC) between limbic and frontal areas were measured and compared between groups. Regression analysis was performed to relate MRI measures to the severity of depression. Results: Compared to nDMS patients, DMS patients (shorter disease duration) had lower WM volume ( p Conclusion: DMS patients showed more pronounced (MS) damage, that is, structural and functional changes in temporo-frontal regions, compared to nDMS patients, suggestive of fronto-limbic disconnection.

BackgroundThe course of illness in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) varies significantly between patients. Little is known about factors predicting a chronic course of illness. The aim of this study is to identify factors involved in inducing and in maintaining chronicity in OCD.MethodsThe present study is embedded within the Netherlands Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Association (NOCDA) study, an ongoing multicenter naturalistic cohort study designed to identify predictors of long-term course and outcome in OCD. For this study, 270 subjects with a current diagnosis of OCD were included. Chronicity status at 2-year follow-up was regressed on a selection of baseline predictors related to OCD, to comorbidity and to stress and support.ResultsPsychotrauma [odds ratio (OR) 1.98, confidence interval (CI) 1.22–3.22,p= 0.006], recent negative life events (OR 1.42, CI 1.01–2.01,p= 0.043), and presence of a partner (OR 0.28, CI 0.09–0.85,p= 0.025) influenced the risk of becoming chronic. Longer illness duration (OR 1.46, CI 1.08–1.96,p= 0.013) and higher illness severity (OR 1.09, CI 1.03–1.16,p= 0.003) increased the risk of remaining chronic.ConclusionsExternal influences increase the risk of becoming chronic, whereas the factors involved in maintaining chronicity are illness-related. As the latter are potentially difficult to modify, treatment should be devoted to prevent chronicity from occurring in the first place. Therapeutic strategies aimed at alleviating stress and at boosting social support might aid in achieving this goal.

Objective Understanding chronicity in OCD is hampered by contradictory findings arising from dissimilar definitions of chronic OCD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the magnitude of chronicity in OCD and to examine if chronic OCD is critically different from non-chronic OCD, using a chronicity definition that reflects empirical findings. Method Baseline data of the Netherlands Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Association (NOCDA) study, in which 379 OCD patients participated, were analyzed. Chronic OCD was defined as “continuous presence of at least moderately severe OCD symptoms during at least two years”, and was assessed retrospectively using a Life-Chart Interview. Results Application of the chronicity criterion resulted in two groups with highly distinguishable course patterns. The majority of the sample (61.7%) reported a chronic course. Patients with a chronic course reported significantly more severe OCD symptoms, more illness burden, more comorbidity, an earlier OCD onset and more contamination and washing – and symmetry and ordering symptoms. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that chronic OCD was independently associated with more OCD-subtypes ( p p p =0.05) and higher severity of compulsions ( p Limitations The findings are based on a cross-sectional survey. Furthermore course was assessed retrospectively, implying the possibility of overestimation of persistence and severity of symptoms. Conclusion Chronicity is the rule rather than the exception in OCD in clinical samples. Chronic OCD is critically different from non-chronic OCD. Further attempts to break down the heterogeneity of OCD in homogeneous course subtypes should be made to allow for a more precise determination of the pathogenesis of OCD and better treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Remitted patients with a history of several previous major depressive episodes have a higher risk of relapse/recurrence than patients with fewer previous episodes, and the probability of another episode increases progressively with each successive episode. This study examines the association between the number of previous episodes and modifiable vulnerability factors in remitted patients with recurrent depression. METHODS: Patients with recurrent depression (DSM-IV-diagnosed) who were in remission (N = 214) were recruited between September 2011 and July 2016. The association was examined between the number of previous episodes and the following factors: i.e. interpersonal functioning, daily stress, sense of mastery, coping and dysfunctional beliefs. RESULTS: A history of more previous episodes was associated with higher levels of interpersonal problems (P < .001), daily stress (P = .04) and a lower sense of mastery (P = .05). Interpersonal problems were most strongly associated with more previous episodes in a Generalized Linear Regression model. In the domain of interpersonal problems, the subscales that showed the strongest relationship were domineering/controlling, vindictive/self-centred, socially inhibited and self-sacrificing. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a history of more depressive episodes reported higher levels of interpersonal problems, daily stress and a lower sense of mastery. Future studies should examine these factors in a longitudinal cohort and look at whether the effect of interventions to prevent relapse can be explained by targeting these psychological factors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register: 2599.

Effects of a cognitive behavioural treatment (CBT) in type 2 diabetes patients were studied in a randomised controlled trial. Patients were recruited from a diabetes care system (DCS). The intervention group (n = 76) received managed care from the DCS and CBT. The control group (n = 78) received managed care only. Effects on risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD), clinical characteristics, lifestyle, determinants of behaviour change, quality of life, and depression were assessed after 6 and 12 months. The intervention did not result in a significant reduction of CHD risk (difference between intervention and control group was -0.32 % (95 % CI: -2.27; 1.63). The amount of heavy physical activity increased significantly in the intervention group at 6 months [intervention versus control group was 20.14 min/day (95 % CI: 4.6; 35.70)]. Quality of life and level of depression improved as well. All effects disappeared after 6 months. No effects were found on clinical characteristics. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

In half of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) patients the disorder runs a chronic course despite treatment. The factors determining this unfavourable outcome remain unknown. The Netherlands Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Association (NOCDA) study is a multicentre naturalistic cohort study of the biological, psychological and social determinants of chronicity in a clinical sample. Recruitment of OCD patients took place in mental health organizations. Its design is a six-year longitudinal cohort study among a representative clinical sample of 419 OCD patients. All five measurements within this six-year period involved validated semi-structured interviews and self-report questionnaires which gathered information on the severity of OCD and its co-morbidity as well as information on general wellbeing, quality of life, daily activities, medical consumption and key psychological and social factors. The baseline measurements also include DNA and blood sampling and data on demographic and personality variables. The current paper presents the design and rationale of the study, as well as data on baseline sample characteristics. Demographic characteristics and co-morbidity ratings in the NOCDA sample closely resemble other OCD study samples. Lifetime co-morbid Axis I disorders are present in the majority of OCD patients, with high current and lifetime co-morbidity ratings for affective disorders (23.4% and 63.7%, respectively) and anxiety disorders other than OCD (36% current and 46.5% lifetime). Copyright (c) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Objective Prevalence rates of depression and anxiety in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) vary widely across studies. Aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to a) estimate the prevalence of depression and anxiety in MS, and specifically b) explore sources of heterogeneity (assessment method, prevalence period, study quality, recruitment resource, region) by extensive analyses. Methods A computerized search in PubMed, EMBASE, and PsycINFO for studies on depression and anxiety in MS was performed up to December 2014. Results Fifty-eight articles with a total sample size of 87,756 MS patients were selected. Pooled mean prevalence was 30.5% (95% CI = 26.3%–35.1%) for depression, and 22.1% (95% CI = 15.2%–31.0%) for anxiety. Prevalence of clinically significant depressive or anxiety symptoms was higher (35% and 34%) compared with disorders (21%; p = 0.001 and 10%; p

Background Online questionnaires for measuring common mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders are increasingly used. The psychometrics of several pen-and-paper questionnaires have been re-examined for online use and new online instruments have been developed and tested for validity as well. This study aims to review and synthesise the literature on this subject and provide a framework for future research. Methods We searched Medline and PsycINFO for psychometric studies on online instruments for common mental health disorders and extracted the psychometric data. Studies were coded and assessed for quality by independent raters. Results We included 56 studies on 62 online instruments. For common instruments such as the CES-D, MADRS-S and HADS there is mounting evidence for adequate psychometric properties. Further results are scattered over different instruments and different psychometric characteristics. Few studies included patient populations. Conclusions We found at least one online measure for each of the included mental health disorders and symptoms. A small number of online questionnaires have been studied thoroughly. This study provides an overview of online instruments to refer to when choosing an instrument for assessing common mental health disorders online, and can structure future psychometric research. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12888-016-0735-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objective: Depressive and anxiety disorders in later life have a high incidence and are associated with reduced quality of life. Elsewhere, we demonstrated that a stepped-care prevention approach was successful in halving the incidence of these disorders over a period of 12 months. As a decreasing effect over time is to be expected, our aim was to investigate the longer-term effects. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Thirty-three primary care practices in the Netherlands. Participants: One hundred seventy consenting individuals, age 75 years and older, presenting with subthreshold depression or anxiety, not meeting the diagnostic criteria. Intervention: Participants were randomized to a preventive intervention or usual care. In the first 12 months, the preventive intervention entailed watchful waiting, minimally supported CBT-based self-help intervention, problem-solving treatment, and referral to a primary care physician for medication, if required. In the last 12 months, 95% of the participants ceased to receive such support. Measurements: Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Results: The cumulative incidence rate of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, major depression or anxiety disorder over a period of 24 months was halved by the intervention, from 33 of 84 (39.3%) in the usual care group to 17 of 86 (19.8%) in the intervention group (odds ratio = 0.38; 95% confidence interval = 0.19-0.76), which was significant (z = 2.75; p = 0.006). The corresponding number needed to treat was 5 (95% confidence interval = 3-16). Conclusions: A stepped-care approach to the prevention of depression and anxiety in late life was not only successful in halving the incidence of depressive and anxiety disorders after 1 year, but these favorable effects were also sustained over 24 months. © 2011 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.

Van ’t Veer-Tazelaar PJ, Van Marwijk HWJ, Van Oppen P, Van Hout HPJ, Van der Horst HE, Cuijpers P, Smit F, Beekman ATF. Stapsgewijze preventie van angst en depressie bij ouderen. Uitkomsten van een gerandomiseerd onderzoek. Huisarts Wet 2009;52(13):668-73. Doel Het bepalen van de doeltreffendheid van een geindiceerd angst- en depressiepreventieprogramma voor ouderen. Methode Het betrof een gerandomiseerd en gecontroleerd onderzoek. Rekrutering vond plaats tussen 1 oktober 2004 en 1 oktober 2005 in 33 huisartsenpraktijken in West-Friesland. Aan dit onderzoek deden 170 ouderen (75-plus) met subklinische depressie of angst mee. We wezen de deelnemers willekeurig toe aan een preventief stapsgewijs zorgprogramma (n = 86) of aan gebruikelijke zorg (n = 84). Het stapsgewijze zorgprogramma bestond uit vier fasen: 1) watchful waiting, 2) op cognitieve gedragstherapie gebaseerde bibliotherapie, 3) het aanleren van een op cognitieve gedragstherapie gebaseerde probleemoplossingsmethode en 4) een (terug)verwijzing naar de huisarts om een eventuele medicamenteuze aanpak te bespreken. Primaire uitkomst was de cumulatieve incidentie, na een jaar, van een depressie of angststoornis die voldoet aan DSM-IV-criteria, zoals vastgesteld door middel van het Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Resultaten De interventie halveerde de eenjaarsincidentie van depressie- en angststoornissen, van 0,24 (20 van 84) in de gebruikelijke zorggroep naar 0,12 (10 van 86) in de groep die het stapsgewijze zorgprogramma aangeboden had gekregen (RR 0,49; 95%-BI 0,24 – 0,98). Conclusie Geindiceerde stapsgewijze preventie van depressie en angst bij ouderen halveerde het risico op het ontwikkelen van deze stoornissen. Dit onderzoek werd gefinancierd door ZonMw (2620.0003).

Although the subject has been debated and examined for more than 3 decades, it is still not clear whether all psychotherapies are equally efficacious. The authors conducted 7 meta-analyses (with a total of 53 studies) in which 7 major types of psychological treatment for mild to moderate adult depression (cognitive-behavior therapy, nondirective supportive treatment, behavioral activation treatment, psychodynamic treatment, problem-solving therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and social skills training) were directly compared with other psychological treatments. Each major type of treatment had been examined in at least 5 randomized comparative trials. There was no indication that 1 of the treatments was more or less efficacious, with the exception of interpersonal psychotherapy (which was somewhat more efficacious; d = 0.20) and nondirective supportive treatment (which was somewhat less efficacious than the other treatments; d = -0.13). The drop-out rate was significantly higher in cognitive-behavior therapy than in the other therapies, whereas it was significantly lower in problem-solving therapy. This study suggests that there are no large differences in efficacy between the major psychotherapies for mild to moderate depression. © 2008 American Psychological Association.

Van Boeijen CA, Van Oppen P, Van Balkom AJLM, Visser S, Kempe PT, Blankenstein N, Van Dyck R. Angststoornissen in de eerste lijn vaak goed te behandelen. Een gerandomiseerd gecontroleerd onderzoek. Huisarts Wet 2007;50(7):315-20. Achtergrond Angststoornissen komen in de eerstelijnszorg frequent voor. Psychologische behandeling is effectief maar tijdrovend en bovendien zijn er wachtlijsten voor tweedelijnszorg. De ontwikkeling van richtlijnen voor een behandeling die haalbaar is in de eerstelijnszorg is daarom gewenst. Doelstelling Het vergelijken van de effectiviteit en toepasbaarheid van begeleide zelfhulp, de NHG-Standaard Angststoornissen en cognitieve gedragstherapie (CGT). Onderzoeksopzet Gerandomiseerd gecontroleerd onderzoek van twaalf weken behandeling met een vervolgmeting na drie en negen maanden voor eerstelijnszorgpatienten met paniekstoornis en/of gegeneraliseerde angststoornis. Methode De eerste twee behandelingen werden uitgevoerd door 46 huisartsen, die de ene of de andere behandeling willekeurig toegewezen kregen. CGT werd uitgevoerd door cognitieve gedragstherapeuten in een psychiatrische polikliniek. De deelnemers (n = 154) werden willekeurig ingedeeld voor een van de drie behandelvormen. De hoofduitkomstmaat was de state-subschaal van de Spielberger Anxiety Inventory. Resultaten De drie behandelingen gaven significante verbeteringen tussen voormeting en nameting, en deze verbetering bleef stabiel tussen nameting en de vervolgmetingen. De resultaten van de drie behandelvormen verschilden op termijn niet significant. De toepasbaarheid van de NHG-Standaard Angststoornissen was gering vergeleken met die van begeleide zelfhulp. Conclusies Onze resultaten geven aan dat eerstelijnszorgpatienten met angststoornissen voor wie de huisarts doorverwijzing niet noodzakelijk acht, op bevredigende wijze behandeld kunnen worden door de huisarts. Doorverwijzing naar een psychiatrische polikliniek levert bij deze patienten geen betere resultaten op. Begeleide zelfhulp is gemakkelijker uit te voeren door huisartsen dan een minder goed gestructureerde behandeling zoals vastgelegd in de NHG-Standaard Angststoornissen.

The study by Farnam and colleagues is a useful and much needed contribution to examine the effectiveness of sexual counseling models in health care [1]. It is, however, debatable whether the authors should have concluded that the Sexual Health Model (SHM) is a cost-effective option for sexual counseling. Given the mentioned need to find a more cost-effective alternative for standard models, such as the Permission, Limited Information, Specific Suggestions, Intensive Therapy (PLISSIT) model, we expected the authors to have performed a cost-effectiveness study. These data, however, were not collected, and a less firmly formulated conclusion regarding the suspected cost-effectiveness of SHM would be appropriate here. Even more so, as the SHM group still scores above the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS-R) cut-off (≥11) at 28 weeks (mean [standard deviation (SD)] FSDS-R 11.7 [10.5]), while the PLISSIT group is below the cut-off (mean [SD] FSDS-R 6.8 [7.5]). It was also surprising that there are borderline significant (P = 0.051) differences reported between the groups for sexual function and sexual distress at 28 weeks, while their table 3 suggests otherwise when looking at sexual distress. Even though sexual function and sexual distress were measured with separate questionnaires on separate scales, they seem to have been analyzed as a “combined outcome” in the multivariate analysis of variance (manova). The authors, however, do not present this score, nor explain how it was constructed or is to be interpreted. Yet, they focus their discussion and conclusion on these analyses, which does not do justice to their other (univariate) analyses. Furthermore, as the manovas suggest (borderline) significant differences between groups, treatment weeks, and groups*treatment weeks, it would have been interesting to see the data for the second assessment (10 weeks) as well. It would aid the interpretation of the findings if these items were further clarified by the authors. Another issue that would benefit from clarification is that, compared with SHM, no effort seemed to have been made to make the PLISSIT model cultural specific as well. What this cultural specification might entail, also for SHM, and how this affected the outcome could be discussed. The PLISSIT model is applied based on the care provider’s competence and is tailored to the individual’s problem [2]. These features do not seem to hinder a more cultural-specific application of this model than SHM. Finally, a more in-depth discussion could also be created by speculating on the effects of certain decisions. For example, could the exclusion of patients with serious medical conditions and family issues lead to selection bias? Or how the findings may have been affected by the author (F.F.) performing sexual counseling in both study groups.

Background Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and maintenance antidepressant medication (mADM) both reduce the risk of relapse in recurrent depression, but their combination has not been studied. Aims To investigate whether MBCT with discontinuation of mADM is non-inferior to MBCT+mADM. Method A multicentre randomised controlled non-inferiority trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00928980). Adults with recurrent depression in remission, using mADM for 6 months or longer (n = 249), were randomly allocated to either discontinue (n = 128) or continue (n = 121) mADM after MBCT. The primary outcome was depressive relapse/recurrence within 15 months. A confidence interval approach with a margin of 25% was used to test non-inferiority. Key secondary outcomes were time to relapse/recurrence and depression severity. Results The difference in relapse/recurrence rates exceeded the non-inferiority margin and time to relapse/recurrence was significantly shorter after discontinuation of mADM. There were only minor differences in depression severity. Conclusions Our findings suggest an increased risk of relapse/recurrence in patients withdrawing from mADM after MBCT.

Idealiter is een mens op een flexibele manier in staat zijn gedragspatronen aan te passen en diverse interpersoonlijke stijlen te gebruiken, afhankelijk van de situatie waarin hij is. Chronisch depressieve clienten kunnen dit niet goed en hanteren vaak een rigide gedragspatroon, dat hen ernstig beperkt in interpersoonlijke interacties. De Impact Message Inventory (IMI) is een vragenlijst waarmee de therapeut per client de interpersoonlijke stijl expliciet kan maken en kan weergeven in een interpersoonlijke cirkel. Het hiermee inzichtelijk maken van het gedrag dat de client in de therapeutische relatie laat zien en de reacties die dit bij de therapeut oproept, helpen de therapeut om in de relatie met de client voorbereid te zijn op mogelijke valkuilen. Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP) is erop gericht dit patroon te doorbreken en clienten flexibeler en empathischer gedrag naar anderen aan te leren.

BackgroundAnxiety disorders increase the risk of onset of several ageing-related somatic conditions, which might be the consequence of accelerated cellular ageing.AimsTo examine the association between anxiety status and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) as an indicator of cellular ageing.MethodData are from individuals with current (n = 1283) and remitted (n = 459) anxiety disorder, and controls (n = 582) with no psychiatric disorder from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety. We determined DSM-IV anxiety diagnoses and clinical characteristics by structured psychiatric interviews and self-report questionnaires; LTL was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and converted into base pairs (bp).ResultsPatients in the current anxiety group (bp = 5431) had significantly shorter LTL compared with the control group (bp = 5506, P = 0.01) and the remitted anxiety group (bp = 5499, P = 0.03) in analyses adjusted for sociodemographics, health and lifestyle. The remitted anxiety group did not differ from the control group (P = 0.84), however, time since remission was positively related with LTL. Furthermore, anxiety severity scores were associated with LTL in the whole sample, in line with a dose–response association.ConclusionsPatients with current – but not remitted – anxiety disorder had shorter telomere length, suggesting a process of accelerated cellular ageing, which in part may be reversible after remission.

Objectives: Chronic exposure to psychosocial stressors is related to worse somatic health. This association applies both to stressors early in life, such as childhood adversities, and more recent life stress, such as stressful life events. This study examined whether accelerated telomere shortening, as an indicator of cellular aging, might be an explanatory mechanism. Methods:We examinedwhether childhood adversities and recent stressful life events were associatedwith shorter telomeres in 2936 participants (mean [standard deviation] age = 41.8 [13.1] years, 66% women, 57% current depression) of the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety. Telomeres are specialized nucleic acid-protein complexes at the ends of linear DNA that shorten with age; telomere length (TL) was measured with quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: Childhood life events (β = .004, p = .805) and childhood trauma (β = .023, p = .205) were not related to shorter TL. However, we found negative associations between recent stressful life events and TL. Persons had shorter telomeres if they reported more stressful life events in the past year (β = .039, p = .028) and 1 to 5 years ago (β = .042, p = .018, adjusted for sociodemographics). The relationship between stressful life events and TL became borderline significant when further adjusted for smoking status. No associations with TL were found when stressful life events occurred more than 6 years ago (p < .10). Conclusions: Results show that recent stressful life events are associated with shorter TL. This association is not observed for psychosocial stressors that occur earlier in life.Whether these results are indicative of physiological resiliency remains to be explored by future longitudinal research.

Tijdens de eerste sessie wordt kort stilgestaan bij het verleden van de client, om inzicht te krijgen in het beloop van de depressie. Hiervoor wordt de beloopstabel gebruikt. In deze tabel vult de therapeut op een tijdlijn in wanneer de client last had van een depressie, te beginnen bij de eerste episode. De therapeut vraagt per episode hoe lang deze depressie duurde, of er een aanleiding voor was, of er behandeling plaatsvond, waar deze behandeling uit bestond en wat het effect ervan was. Zo wordt de hele tijdlijn tot het heden doorlopen. Door het samen invullen van de beloopstabel oefent de client in het specifieker maken van zijn klachten en daarnaast in het denken in termen van oorzaak en gevolg. Soms hebben de clienten uit zichzelf nog weinig verbanden gelegd tussen depressieve episoden en belangrijke levensgebeurtenissen. De beloopstabel helpt die verbanden alsnog te leggen.

Het aanleren van sociale vaardigheden kan moeilijk zijn als je een chronische depressie hebt, omdat bij zo’n depressie vaak hoort dat je moeite hebt om voor jezelf op te komen. Het kan ook zijn dat je juist moet leren je woede en vijandigheid in toom te houden om op een effectieve manier te kunnen communiceren. Door middel van rollenspellen kun je oefenen met het toepassen van sociale vaardigheden. Wat zijn sociale vaardigheden? Sociale vaardigheden zijn vaardigheden die nodig zijn bij contacten met andere mensen. Voorbeelden van sociale vaardigheden zijn: luisteren, een gesprek op gang houden, iemand een compliment geven, je mening geven, iets weigeren, voor je belangen opkomen en reageren op kritiek. Assertiviteit is een belangrijke voorwaarde voor het uitvoeren van sociale vaardigheden. Het gaat hierbij om vaardigheden die te maken hebben met het opkomen voor jezelf en je rechten, zonder daarbij de ander onnodig te kwetsen.

Helaas is in Hoofdstuk 5 en Bijlage 3 verzuimd te verwijzen naar het valideringsonderzoek van de Nederlandse IMI in een wat andere vertaling.