Coping with depression and anxiety: preliminary results of a standardized course for elderly depressed women.

The experiences of 51 elderly depressed female patients with a standardized course "Coping with Depression and Anxiety" were investigated. Preliminary findings concerning the effectiveness of this course in 34 patients who completed the course will also be presented. This course consisted of psychoeducation and skills training. Depressive symptoms were scored by using the SCL-90 depression scale and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Results indicate that patients were very enthusiastic about the course and that there was no need to make major changes in its structure and content. Also, depressive symptoms were significantly reduced after completion of the course, which emphasizes the importance of this psychoeducational program in the treatment of depression in elderly female patients.