Life Adaptation Skills Training (LAST) for persons with depression: A randomized controlled study

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Mental Health Interventions

Background:

• Depression is a prevalent mental health condition requiring effective interventions.
• The Life Adaptation Skills Training (LAST) program aims to improve coping mechanisms and lifestyle management for individuals with depression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the occupation-based LAST program for individuals diagnosed with depressive disorder.
• To assess the impact of LAST on anxiety, suicidal ideation, and quality of life.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 68 participants with depression.
• Participants were assigned to either the LAST program (24 sessions plus phone support) or a control group (phone support only).
• Outcome measures included the WHO Quality of Life-BREF, Occupational Self-Assessment, Mastery Scale, Social Support Questionnaire, and Beck Inventories for anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation.

Main Results:

• The LAST program group showed significant reductions in anxiety and suicidal ideation compared to the control group, with moderate to large effect sizes.
• Reductions in suicidal ideation were sustained for three months post-intervention.
• Both groups improved in overall quality of life, but the intervention group demonstrated larger within-group effect sizes.

Conclusions:

• The occupation-based LAST program is effective in reducing anxiety and suicidal ideation in individuals with depression.
• The program's focus on lifestyle adjustment and coping skills contributes to its positive outcomes.
• Limitations include a small sample size, high dropout rate, and lower compliance, suggesting a need for further research with improved methodology.