Behavioral activation ‘as good as’ cognitive behavioral therapy in depression

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered the ‘gold standard’ for treatment of depression. However, recent results from a multicenter study coordinated by researchers at the University of Exeter (UK) have revealed that the comparatively simple and inexpensive psychological therapy option of behavioral activation (BA) may be just as effective for treating patients with depression. The results were collated as part of the COBRA study, which is one of the largest studies worldwide investigating psychological treatments of depression through randomized controlled trials. In total 440 individuals took part at three sites in the UK with 219 receiving CBT and 221 receiving...