Behavioral Activation as a Treatment for Geriatric Depression

Abstract

By encouraging older adults to become more active, behavioral activation (BA) may help reduce depressive symptoms brought on by activity restriction. The purpose of this study was to determine, through a multiple-baseline design, whether BA could be successfully applied to older adults with depression. Nine depressed older adults (M = 75 years of age) underwent a course of in-home BA therapy (mean number of sessions = 14.7). Overall, participants' Geriatric Depression Scale and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression scores decreased from pre- to post-treatment, and 71% of participants no longer met criteria for a depressive disorder. Behavioral activation shows promise as a treatment for geriatric depression.

KEYWORDS:

• depression
• elderly
• behavioral activation

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and University of Alabama's Center for Mental Health and Aging.