Cognitive Self-therapy (CST) for patients with chronic-recurrent depression or anxiety.

Both treatment conditions showed significant improvements on symptom measures but did not differ between each other as to the main outcome SCL-90. CST patients improved more in some aspects of life satisfaction (e.g., feelings of safety, finance, recreation, transport; WHO-Qol, environmental sub-scale), and in social functioning in relationships with parents and siblings.
They also had significantly fewer contacts with other therapists (non-psychiatrists) than TAU patients. None of the patients committed suicide.
No variables were predictive for a good outcome.
CST patients appeared to rely more on their own experiences while TAU relied more on the judgement of other people.
The higher initial costs for the CST condition were compensated by considerably lower costs during follow-up.

Does Cognitive Self-therapy (CST) in outpatient mental health care has any superiority as to cost-effectiveness and outcome compared to treatment as usual?

N/A

Treatment as usual (TAU) versus CST which is a structured method that seeks to restructure cognitive schemata by focusing on problems in social functioning and relationships and consists of a Preparatory Phase, 2) an Orientation Course of three weekly morning-meetings to practice with peers; a Basic Course of 5 weekly, day-long sessions in which patients learn to manage self-therapy sessions with peers.
Those who perform these sessions adequately are certified to participate in weekly meetings, now led by peers in accordance with the manual, as taught during the BC.
The patients’ role in the treatment gradually evolves into that of “paraprofessionals,” such that finally they conduct Self-Therapy sessions in reciprocal relationships with peers.