[Effectiveness of CBT on Unemployed Compared to Employed Individuals Suffering from Prevalent Mental Disorders - A...

Background Unemployed individuals suffer more from mental strain than those who have jobs. Up until now, little information could be found regarding the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for unemployed people with mental disorders. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of CBT on employed versus unemployed individuals in a naturalistic setting. Methods 92 outpatients with prevalent mental disorders (depression and anxiety) were matched post-hoc and assessed pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at follow-up. Results Unemployed individuals were more impaired at all assessment points. The multi-level analysis showed that both groups benefited equally. Moderate-to-large effect sizes were found in both groups. At follow-up-assessment, one third of the unemployed sample and one-fifth of those with jobs were classified as unimpaired. The job integration rate was 26%. Discussion The effect sizes indicate that CBT is beneficial for both groups. However, unemployed participants were as impaired at post-treatment as the employed were at pre-treatment. The job integration rate of 26% was comparable to the general integration rate in Germany (25%), although no work-focused interventions were carried out during the adjustment period. Conclusions CBT is effective for unemployed individuals, but because the unemployed participants were still more impaired at post-treatment, they might have a higher risk of relapse.