Eight-session manualized cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and depression symptoms in perimenopause and postmenopause: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE

Mood and anxiety symptoms at the menopause transition are common. However, most cognitive-behavioral treatments focused on perimenopause center on managing physical symptoms such as hot flashes, and not mood symptoms. In this case series, we assessed the impact of a CBT intervention program on anxiety and depressive symptoms among individuals in perimenopause or postmenopause, who reported mood symptoms.

METHODS

The intervention included eight 45-minute sessions of individual CBT with a clinical psychologist, and included CBT skills training (eg, behavioral activation, reframing negative automatic thoughts). The intervention was a general CBT intervention not tailored to perimenopause. Chart abstractions were performed for individuals who completed at least one session of the CBT program.

RESULTS

Twenty participants completed at least one session, and sixteen completed all eight sessions. Symptoms of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire 9 scores) decreased by 42.1% from session 1 ( M =8.74 [5.48]) to session 8 ( M =5.06 [4.77]) ( t =3.98, P =0.001). Similarly, symptoms of anxiety (GAD-7 scores) decreased by 56.2% from session 1 ( M =6.98 [4.38]) to session 8 ( M =3.06 [4.34]) ( t =3.39, P =0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

A standardized CBT intervention, not tailored to perimenopause, reduced depressive and anxiety symptoms in a small case cohort of women in perimenopause and postmenopause. Further research in a larger sample with a clinical trial design is needed.