A Cochrane review included 10 studies with a total of 780 subjects. Data from six studies were used for meta-analyses (292 patients in the psychotherapy arm and 225 patients in the control arm). Four studies used supportive psychotherapy, one adopted cognitive behavioural therapy, and one adopted problem-solving therapy. When compared with treatment as usual, psychotherapy was associated with a significant decrease in depression score (SMD = -0.44, 95% CI -0.08 to -0.80). None of the studies focused on patients with clinically diagnosed depression.
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by imprecise results (few patients and wide confidence intervals) and by indirectness (none of the studies focused on patients with clinically diagnosed depression).