Ruesch M, et al. - An eight-session cognitive behavioral group therapy (STEpS) was developed and its efficacy was tested in a randomized controlled trial. In improving depression and health-related quality of life, STEpS declared effective in the short term but did not show effects on mental outcomes at 2-month follow-up. In spite of that, the implementation of STEpS as a waiting list intervention prior to individual therapy could help patients to handle long waiting periods in outpatient care.

• The physicians randomized 76 patients with chronic physical diseases and comorbid depressive or adjustment disorders to either STEpS or a waiting list control group.
• Self-reported depression measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D) was the primary outcome.
• Global psychological distress and health-related quality of life were included as the secondary outcomes.
• They evaluated data at baseline, post-treatment and 2-month follow-up and examined based on intention-to-treat.

• At post-treatment, the STEpS group demonstrated significantly less depression (d = 0.37; p = .009) and significantly higher quality of life (mental: d = 0.47; p = .030; physical: d = 0.70; p = .001) compared to the control group.
• In this study, the groups did not differ in global psychological distress.
• The STEpS group showed significantly higher subjective physical health (d = 0.43; p = .046), but did not differ from the control group in the remaining outcomes at 2-month follow-up.