TOWARD AN INTEGRATION OF PSYCHOLOGIC, SOCIAL, AND BIOLOGIC FACTORS INDEPRESSION - EFFECTS ON OUTCOME AND COURSE OF COGNITIVE THERAPY

The present study attempted to integrate key variables from 3 major do mains of theory in depression (cognition, stress, and psychobiology) t hat are typically studied separately in analyses of course and respons e to cognitive therapy. Dysfunctional attitudes, negative life events, or sleep electroencephalogram were assessed in 53 outpatients before treatment with cognitive therapy. High levels of dysfunctional attitud es were found to be associated with poorer response to treatment but n ot for those patients who had experienced a severe negative life event . Examination of the length of time required to achieve remission reve aled an effect for rapid eye movement (REM) latency as well as the int eraction between REM latency and life events. These results are discus sed in terms of the promise of integrative research in the study of de pression and its treatment.