COMPARISON OF SELF-CONTROL AND ASSERTION SKILLS TREATMENTS OF DEPRESSION

Fuchs and Rehm (Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1977, 45, 206-215) have previously reported on a group administered, behavioral, self-control therapy program which was found to be clinically effective in modifying depression. This study replicates those procedures and compares them to a behavioral assertion skills training program. Twenty-four depresed women from the community were seen for six weekly group sessions in either the assertion skills or self-control condition. Level of depression was assessed at four points spaced at 6-week intervals: screening, pretherapy, post-therapy, and follow-up. Results suggested that self-control subjects improved more on measures of self-control, assertion skill subjects improved more on assertion skill measures, and self-control subjects improved more on both self-report and behavioral measures of depression. Results were discussed in terms of the effectiveness of the self-control program and implications regarding self-control deficits in depression. © 1979 Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy.