TTDA: Applying cognitive-behavioral therapy to treat a case of adult depression.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S PROJECT

1. Student's full name:VU MANH DUC2. Gender: Male

3. Date of birth: November 29, 1995 4. Place of birth: Phuc Yen, Vinh Phuc

5. Decision No. 5626/QD-XHNV dated December 29, 2023, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, recognizing the student.

6. Changes in the training process: None.

7. Project Title: Applying Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to Treat a Case of Adult Depression

8. Major: Clinical Psychology (Applied Orientation); Code: 8310402.

9. Scientific supervisor:

- Dr. Vu Thy Cam, Head of Clinical Psychology Department, Institute of Mental Health, Bach Mai Hospital.

- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thu Huong, Head of the Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

10. Summary of project results:

The project involves intervening in a case with moderate depression using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) over 10 individual therapy sessions. The intervention focuses on three main goal groups: (1) identifying and correcting distorted perceptions, (2) strengthening self-awareness, communication, and boundary-setting skills, and (3) developing a maintenance and relapse prevention plan.

The results showed a significant reduction in the client's depressive symptoms (as evidenced by a decrease in Beck's scale score from moderate to mild, and a corresponding decrease in DASS-21 score). The client improved their emotional awareness, managed negative thoughts, and adopted adaptive behaviors, while also developing habits of self-monitoring and self-regulation in their daily lives.

From a professional standpoint, the project contributes to demonstrating the effectiveness of CBT practice in the Vietnamese context, while also drawing some lessons learned in applying the individual therapy model to adults with depressive disorders, thereby providing a basis for reference for future clinical psychology research and practice.

11. Practical applications:

This project has high practical value in providing psychological counseling and therapy for adults with symptoms of depression at practice facilities, counseling centers, hospitals, and psychological clinics.

The cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention process employed in this project can be adapted and applied flexibly to cases of mild to moderate depression, as well as extended to clients with anxiety, low self-esteem, or difficulties in regulating emotions.

Furthermore, specific techniques such as emotion naming, cognitive restructuring, boundary setting, and relapse prevention planning can be used as training and clinical practice monitoring tools for psychology students, or as reference materials in individual psychotherapy in Vietnam.

12. Future research directions:

In further studies, the sample size could be expanded to conduct sub-experimental or controlled trials, thereby better evaluating the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) on different levels of depression.

In addition, the impact of cultural, family, and social factors on the therapeutic process should be considered in order to adjust the intervention content to better suit the psychological characteristics of Vietnamese people.

Integrated approaches, such as combining CBT with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) or mindfulness therapy, are also potential research directions that contribute to diversifying therapeutic tools and improving the effectiveness of interventions in clinical psychology practice in Vietnam.

13. Published works related to the project: None.

INFORMATION ON PROJECT

1. Full name:VU MANH DUC2. Sex: Male

3. Date of birth: 29/11/1995 4. Place of birth: Phuc Yen, Vinh Phuc

5. Admission decision number: 5626/QD-XHNV dated December 29, 2023, signed by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

6. Changes in academic process: None.

7. Official project title: Applying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the Treatment of a Case with Depressive Symptoms in an Adult.

8. Major: Clinical Psychology (Applied Orientation); Code: 8310402.

9. Supervisors:

- Dr. Vu Thy Cam, Head of the Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Mental Health, Bach Mai Hospital.

- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Thu Huong, Head of the Department of Clinical Psychology,Faculty of Psychology, VNU - University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi.

10. Summary of the findings of the project:

The project conducted an intervention for a client with moderate depressive symptoms using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) across ten individual sessions. The intervention focused on three main goals: (1) identifying and restructuring distorted cognitions, (2) enhancing emotional awareness, communication, and boundary-setting skills, and (3) developing a maintenance and relapse prevention plan.

The results showed a notable reduction in depressive symptoms, with the Beck score decreasing from a moderate to mild level and a corresponding improvement on the DASS-21 scale. The client improved in emotional recognition, managing negative thoughts, and adaptive behaviors, while developing self-monitoring and self-regulation habits in daily life.

The project demonstrates the effectiveness of CBT in the Vietnamese context and provides practical insights for applying individual therapy with adults experiencing.

11. Practical applicability:

The project has high practical value in counseling and psychotherapy for adults with depressive symptoms at practice centers, counseling units, hospitals, and psychological clinics.

The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) intervention process applied in this project can be adapted and flexibly implemented for cases of mild to moderate depression, as well as for clients experiencing anxiety, low self-esteem, or emotional regulation difficulties.

Furthermore, specific techniques such as emotion labeling, cognitive restructuring, boundary setting, and relapse planning prevention can serve as tools for clinical training and supervision for psychology students, or as reference materials for individual psychotherapy practice in Vietnam.

12.Further research directions:

Future studies may expand the sample size to conduct quasi-experimental or controlled experimental research, thereby assessing more clearly the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) across different levels of depression.

It is also important to consider cultural, familial, and social factors involving the therapeutic process, in order to adapt intervention content to the psychological characteristics of Vietnamese clients.

Integrated approaches, such as combining CBT with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) or Mindfulness-based techniques, represent promising directions to diversify therapeutic tools and enhance intervention effectiveness in clinical psychology practice in Vietnam.

13.Project -related publications: None