The Effectiveness of Schema Therapy Integrated with Neurological Rehabilitation Methods to Improve Executive Functions in Patients with Chronic Depression

Introduction: Chronic depressive disorder causes confusion in patients’ social life. The aim of this study has been to improve executive functions benefiting the effectiveness of schema therapy integrated with neurological rehabilitation in patients with chronic depression.

Method: This research has been done in the form of single case pilot study with multi-stepped base lines. For this purpose, six patients (three females and three males) from 13th District Cultural Center in Tehran,who were diagnosed with chronic depression ,were chosen to be evaluated by Beck Depression Scale, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and diagnostic interviews.

Findings: The results signified the effectiveness of schema therapy integrated with neurological rehabilitation according to all subjects' scores decrease from baseline to post-treatment session, and then a two months follow-up for the first participant to the sixth one. The scores of all six subjects has fallen in Wisconsin Card Sorting Test during the sessions. This shows the schema therapeutic efficacy integrated with neurological rehabilitation in improving executive functions. It is found that patients have significantly improved and been recovered in posttreatment stage regarding false answers to Wisconsin Cards and errors due to retardation.

Conclusion: We can conclude that schema therapy integrated with neurological rehabilitation have been able to improve executive functions through changing the negative schemas which cause disorder. Therefore, using this type of treatment along with other psychological treatments may be more effective.

Author(s):

Mehdi Gheisari

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