Psychoeducational interventions targeting core symptoms to achieve remission and prevent relapses and recurrence in depression.

Depressive disorders have a high prevalence and incidence,
and are associated with a huge burden of disease and economic
costs. Most respond satisfactorily to drug therapy
and/or psychological intervention, in particular to psychoeducation.
By far the best-studied example of this approach is the
Coping With Depression course (CWD). Widely used in several
countries, the CWD comprises 8 to 16 sessions, targets the core
symptoms of depressed mood and anhedonia, and can be delivered
in individual, group, or guided self-help formats. It is a highly
structured cognitive-behavioral intervention based on social
learning theory. The therapist is essentially an instructor and participants
are students rather than patients; there is no traditional
psychotherapeutic relationship between the two. The CWD is
highly flexible and can be adapted to a variety of contents, target
populations, and goals, including the treatment of established disease,
and primary and secondary prevention. Randomized studies
have shown that it lowers the incidence of depressive disorders
in subthreshold depression, relieves existing depressive disorders,
and may also reduce the relapse rate. It is also more effective in
mild-to-moderate depression, in subjects with higher expectations
of its results, those receiving more social support, and those who
feel in control of their lives. Delivery over the Internet has many
advantages and is becoming increasingly common.