Cognitive bibliotherapy and memory training for older adults with depressive symptoms

Abstract

Objectives: Substantial evidence indicates that depressed participants perform more poorly than nondepressed participants on a number of memory tasks. Cognitive deficits associated with depression (i.e., poor allocation of attention, poor encoding strategies), may help explain why depressed older adults are particularly prone to evidence poorer memory performance.

Method: The present study compared the impact of two self-administered treatment protocols, cognitive bibliotherapy for depression plus memory training (CBT + MT) and cognitive bibliotherapy alone (CBT), to a wait-list control condition on measures of memory functioning and depression in a group of older adults experiencing depressive symptoms and memory complaints.

Results: Results provide partial support for CBT as a treatment for depressive symptoms; however, memory training augmentation did not produce improvements.

Conclusion: Suggestions for improving retention of older adults in self-administered treatments are discussed.

Keywords:

• depression
• cognitive functioning
• psychotherapy

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by funding from the Retirement Research Foundation.