The Effect of Psychoeducation for Depression: A Meta-Analysis 2010-2016
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Rainier C. Moreno-Lacalle, RN, MSN
Abstract
Background/Objective: Depression is a global mental health problem. Therefore, mental health professionals need to develop interventions that are evidence-based and cost-effective. One of the psychosocial interventions is psychoeducation. However, a recent Google search on the effect of psychoeducation for depression suggests conflicting results calling for an analysis of studies to establish psychoeducation effectiveness. The goal of the meta-analysis is to examine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) overall effectiveness of psychoeducation for depression.
Methods: EBSCOhost, PsychINFO, and Science Direct databases were searched using the keywords ‘psychoeducation,’ ‘group psychoeducation,’ ‘mental health education,’ ‘depression,’ ‘depressive disorder,’ and ‘dysthymia’ with year restriction of 2010-2016. In this meta-analysis, the effect size (using Hedges’ g value), Q2 statistics, and I were calculated under the random effects model aided by CMA v.3. To test for publication bias, trim-and-fill analysis, and fail-safe N were computed too.
Results: A total of 1,560 patients from 11 studies were included in this analysis. Post-intervention results had Hedges’ g-value of -0.293 (95% CI= -0.552—0.035) of psychoeducation for depression meaning low effect. Although notably, the overall effect size leans towards psychoeducation. The p-value is significant at .05 level, favoring psychoeducation (p=0.026). The studies were also found to be highly 2 heterogeneous (Q = 55.467, p<.05, I =81.971) under the random effects model, (10) suggesting high inconsistency on the studies included in this meta-analysis. In testing for publication bias, the imputed effect size using trim-and-fill approach was - 0.38558 (95% CI= -0.64926- -0.12189) while the result of fail-safe N suggested that 48 nil or null results would be needed to increase the p-value associated with the average effect above an alpha level of 0.05.
Conclusions: This meta-analysis may suggest that psychoeducation has low effect on depression. Longer and more interactive approach can be done to ensure its long-term and maximal effectiveness. Publication bias is unlikely in this meta-analysis. The findings provide valuable information for future psychoeducation to improve content, design, quality, and process that will benefit patients with depression.
Keywords: Psychoeducation, Mental Health Promotion, Depression, Depressive disorders
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About the Author
Rainier C. Moreno-Lacalle, RN, MSN, is an assistant professor at Saint Louis University School of Nursing. He is currently enrolled in the PhD in Nursing program at Saint Louis University- School of Nursing. His research interests include: evidence-based practice, conceptual development, and mental health. Currently, he is leading a community extension project to promote evidence-based practice (EBP) in one of the local hospitals in Baguio City.