Effect of Single Session Solution Focused Circle Technique on Working Memory, Hope and Psychological Well-being Among Individuals with Depression: A Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND

Depression is a common mental health condition that is often misunderstood, leading to delays in early intervention. It can impair working memory, reduce hope, and negatively affect psychological well-being. Although Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is an effective first-line treatment, its structured and cognitively demanding approach may reduce treatment adherence in the Indian context. Therefore, there is a need for brief and accessible early interventions. The present study examined the effectiveness of a single-session Solution-Focused Circle Technique, derived from Solution-Focused Therapy, for the preliminary management of depression.

PURPOSE: The present study investigated the effectiveness of single session Solution-Focused Circle Technique on working memory, hope, and psychological well-being among individuals with depression.

METHOD: The study adopted a controlled pretest-posttest design with 40 participants aged 25-45 years, diagnosed with mild to moderate depression as per ICD-10 DCR criteria, selected through purposive sampling. Participants were systematically allocated equally into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received a 30-minute single session of Solution-Focused Circle Technique, while the control group underwent a 30-minute waiting period. BDI-II, Digit Span Test, Adult Hope Scale, and Psychological Wellbeing Scale were used, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent and paired-sample t-tests.

RESULTS

The experimental group showed significant improvement in working memory, hope, and psychological well-being compared with the control group. Findings suggest that the Solution- Focused Circle Technique may help enhance working memory and reduce cognitive difficulties associated with depression.

CONCLUSION

The findings indicated the use of solution focused circle technique to enhance cognitive function, boost hope, and improve overall well-being in individuals with depression. Thus, SFCT may serve as a brief and feasible preliminary intervention to support psychological health in this population.