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Depression treatment guidelines typically recommend cognitive behavioral therapy and/or interpersonal therapy for the acute treatment of mild–moderate depression. However, several new developments support an expanded role for psychotherapy in depression treatment. This article summarizes recent psychotherapy efficacy studies across the depression treatment continuum and the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in community settings.

Abstract: A new smoothing method of global optimization is proposed in the present paper, which prevents shifting of global minima. In this method, smoothed functions are solutions of a heat diffusion equation with external heat source. The source helps to control the diffusion such that a global minimum of the smoothed function is again a global minimum of the cost function. This property, and the existence and uniqueness of the solution are proved using results in theory of viscosity solutions. Moreover, we devise an iterative equation by which smoothed functions can be obtained analytically for a class of cost functions. The effectiveness and potential of our method are then demonstrated with some experimental results.

Recent innovations in psychological treatments have integrated mindfulness meditation techniques with traditional cognitive and behavioural therapies, challenging traditional cognitive and behavioural therapists to integrate acceptance- and change-based strategies. This article details how 2 treatments, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and dialectical behaviour therapy, have met this challenge. We review the integration rationale underlying the 2 treatments, how the treatments combine strategies from each modality to accomplish treatment goals, implications for therapist training, and treatment effectiveness. In addition, we discuss the challenges of assessing the benefits of incorporating acceptance-based strategies. Both therapies have integrated acceptance-based mindfulness approaches with change-based cognitive and behavioural therapies to create efficacious treatments.

Objective: This report describes the design and feasibility of conducting a unique longitudinal supervision course incorporating both therapist and patient evaluation measures in teaching cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) to a group of mental health practitioners.Method: We designed a 10-session longitudinal supervision course to teach CBT by applying key continuing medical education (CME) principles. Each session consisted of 30 minutes of didactics and demonstrations followed by 90 minutes of group case supervision. Course participants were mental health practitioners who treated patients from their own practice; most of the patients suffered from a depressive and (or) anxiety disorder. We assessed therapists for CBT skill acquisition at the beginning and at the end of the course, using the Cognitive Therapy Scale (CTS). We assessed patients' symptoms weekly, using the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Clinical Global Impression scale.Results: A total of 34 participants enrolled in three 10-session courses. Most participants submitted audiotapes for rating at the beginning and end of the course, and most submitted patient symptom information.Conclusions: This course shows promise as an effective way to teach complex skills in CBT to mental health providers. In limited samples, the course showed clear improvement in therapist adherence to CBT and in patients' clinical outcomes. Future research is required to validate the potential benefit of this CME intervention for mental health practitioners treating patients with mood and anxiety disorders.

Three-dimensional depth information of a surface can be encoded in a two-dimensional image called autostereograms. The encoded surface can be reconstructed from an autostereogram by using the correspondences between pixels in human brains or computer algorithms. However, in some cases, the reconstructed surface is not unique because of “echoes”. In the presence of echoes, reconstruction of the original surface from the autostereogram cannot be guaranteed since no cue of the original surface is available in autostereograms. In this paper, the causes of echoes are investigated and conditions for echo-free reconstruction are derived. Based on these conditions, autostereogram generation algorithm is revised to guarantee echo-free autostereograms. Besides, the surface reconstruction algorithm is modified such that original surfaces encoded are always reconstructed from echo-free autostereograms.

Joiner's article (this issue) is a welcome contribution toward clarifying the role of interpersonal factors underlying depression chronicity. We believe, however, that three issues need to be considered regarding an interpersonal research agenda. First, Joiner's proposal would benefit from a discussion of the evidentiary requirements that risk factors must meet. Second, our reading of the literature suggests that interpersonal processes interact with cognitive processes that involve the activation of depressive knowledge structures and that these processes do meet criteria as a possible causal risk factor. Finally, Joiner's global concept of depression chronicity fails to recognize important differences in the mechanisms underlying each of the phenomena of episode prolongation, relapse induction, and recurrence as well as the changes that might occur in these processes with repeated episodes.