Treating Depression with ECT: An Objective Review

Basem Gohar, Christa R. Winter, Mark Benander, Barbara Mandell, Cassandra Hobgood, Keith Z. Brewster

Department of Health and Exercise Science, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, Canada.
Department of Psychiatry, Baystate Health, Springfield, USA.
Department of Psychology, Baypath College, Longmeadow, USA.
Department of Psychology, Springfield College, Springfield, USA.
Department of Psychology, Springfield College, Springfield, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Baystate Health, Springfield, USA.

DOI: 10.4236/ojd.2012.12002                

Abstract

The current study examined the efficacy of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) as a treatment method for unipolar and bipolar depression using an objective measure through a retrospective chart review. First, this article discusses the history of ECT as well as issues in psychiatric diagnoses. Patients’ progress in this study was measured by the hospital’s psychiatrists as well as through the self-report measure, Clinically Useful Depression Scale (CUDOS). The sample consisted of 22 female and 8 male depressed inpatients and outpatients. A 2 × 2 mixed ANOVA revealed a significant interaction, showing improvement from pre-treatment to post-treatment in both genders. In post-treatment, female patients showed significantly more improvement than male patients. This study suggests that ECT results in depression reduction, especially in female patients. In addition, the CUDOS has shown to be a simple and effective self-report measure in assessing progress of depression including complex treatments, such as ECT. Recommendations for future ECT studies include: controlling for comorbidity and medication by obtaining a larger sample size to categorize patients according to medication type and dosage.

Keywords

Electroconvulsive Therapy; Depression; Self-Report Measure; Objectivity

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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