Vilhauer JS, Young S, Kealoha C, et al. Treating major depression by creating positive expectations for the future: A pilot study for the effectiveness of future-directed therapy (FDT) on symptom severity and quality of life.  CNS Neurosci Ther. 2011 Mar 16. [Epub ahead of print]

This pilot study tested a new form of therapy, known as future-directed therapy (FDT), for major depressive disorder in an outpatient psychiatry clinic.  FDT teaches people to create their future with awareness and choice through the use of well-established psychological principles and cognitive science. This study measured symptom severity of depression and anxiety as well as quality of life. Treatment consisted of twenty 90-min group sessions twice a week over 10 weeks and was compared to traditional cognitive-based group psychotherapy. Patients treated with FDT showed significant improvements in depression, anxiety and quality of life, and also reported high satisfaction with the therapy. FDT may become an additional treatment option for patients with major depressive disorder.