Abstract:
Depression in older adults is a significant problem in Thailand and in the world. Depressive symptoms if deteriorated, it can progress to be depressive disorders and significant cause of suicide. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to examine the effects of cognitivebehavioral group therapy on self-esteem and depression among community-dwelling older adults. The sample included twenty-four community-dwelling older adults who met the inclusion criteria. The participants were randomly assigned into the experimental (n= 12) and the control (n= 12) groups. The experimental group received group cognitive modification program for 8 sessions, two sessions per week and each session took about 60 to 90 minutes. Where as those in the control group received only routine nursing care. The Self-esteem Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory were used to collect data at pre-post tests and one month follow-up. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, two-way repeated measures ANOVA and pairwise comparisons using Bonferronis method were employed to analyze the data. The results showed significant difference for the mean scores of self-esteem anddepression between the experimental and control groups at post-test and 1-month follow-up (p< .001). In the experimental group, the mean scores of self-esteem and depression at pre-test, post-test and 1-month follow-up were significantly different (p < .001). From the results, it showed that this group cognitive-behavioral modification had significant effects on self-esteem and depression among community-dwelling older adults. Therefore, nurses and related health personnel could apply this program in order to enhance self-esteem and reduce depression among older adults with depression residing in community and other settings.