Effectiveness of Buddhist Monks in Providing Cognitive Behavior Therapy

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Cognitive Behavior Therapy Provided by Buddhist Monks vs. Treatment as Usual in the Treatment of Late Life-depression

This research is to study the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy-CBT and Psychotherapy by trained buddhist monks. There are generally accepted that both cognitive and Buddhist concepts are related. This randomized controlled trial is to study the elderly participants who suffer major depressive disorder according to DSM-IV. The subjects will be divided into two groups. The experimental group will receive 12 sessions of CBT 2 times per week for 6 weeks in addition to usual treatment. The control group will receive treatment as usual and general conversation (non-CBT) with monks. Pretreatment factors (such as attachment style, interpersonal factors) of both therapist monks and patient participants will be studied.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Meet criteria for Major depressive disorder
• receiving antidepressant

Exclusion Criteria:

• presence of intense suicidal intent behaviors that require inpatient admission
• history of alcohol or drug dependence
• presence of hallucinations or delusions
• currently receiving electroconvulsive therapy or repetitive-transcranial magnetic stimulation,
• patients' involvement in other clinical trials.