Thirty-six maritally discordant couples with depressed wives were
randomly assigned to marital therapy, cognitive therapy, or a waiting- list
control condition. The women given marital or cognitive therapy showed
significant and clinically meaningful reductions in their depression. The
women given marital therapy showed greater increases in marital
satisfaction than did those given cognitive therapy or no therapy; these
differences were maintained at 1-year follow-up. These findings suggest
that marital therapy may be the most effective and appropriate treatment
for clinically significant marital discord with coexisting clinically
significant depression.Abstract Teaser