Cognitive behavioral therapy of minor depressive symptoms in elderly Chinese Americans: a pilot study

There is a high prevalence of suicide among elderly Chinese, and particularly among elderly Chinese women in Mainland China with a prevalence of 19.6 per hundred thousand. Since Chinese individuals may much more highly value education, a cognitive-behavioral package originated by Ricardo Munoz, Ph.D. was adapted for Chinese American subjects. The material was videotaped in eight sessions, approximately 25 minutes in length, to be shown to community subjects who were at least 40 years and over. In addition, a videotape of muscular relaxation techniques was made. A manual written in Chinese about the content of each class, was given to each subject when he/she attended. The experimental group showed significant improvement in the scores in the Hamilton Depression Scale, including the Somatic Subscale in the Hamilton Anxiety Scale. There was no significant improvement in the control group on any of the measures. Thus the study suggests the efficacy of psychoeducational classes in reducing symptoms of depression in non-patient community elderly. Other studies are being conducted among Korean Americans and Japanese Americans in the United States, and also in the Orient among Japanese elderly.