Effectiveness of group cognitive behavioral therapy for depression in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of delivery by different healthcare professionals

This study addresses the gap in understanding the varied effectiveness of group cognitive behavioral therapy (gCBT) delivered by different professionals. This study aims to address this gap by conducting a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluate gCBT and compare it to inactive controls in adults with a clinical diagnosis of depression. A total of 33 RCTs were included for analysis. In the overall analysis, ‘profession of gCBT deliverer’ was not a significant moderator in the meta-regression model (p = 0.57). For people without comorbidity, the overall effect size estimate was −0.69 (95% CI, −1.01. to −0.37, p = 0.03). Among gCBT deliverers, psychologists and nurses/psychiatric nurses demonstrated significant effectiveness, with psychologists showing a large effect size of −0.78 (95% CI, −1.25 to −0.30, p < 0.01) and nurses/psychiatric nurses showing a medium effect size of −0.45 (95% CI, −0.85 to −0.05, p = 0.03). The certainty of evidence for both professionals was moderate. These results have significant implications for the delivery of mental healthcare, as nurses/psychiatric nurses may be more accessible and cost-effective than psychologists in some settings. However, further research is necessary to determine the effectiveness of gCBT delivered by a broader range of healthcare professionals for patients with depression and other comorbidities.