Effectiveness of Solution-Focused Group Counseling on Depression and Cognition Among Chinese Older Adults: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of solution-focused group counseling (SFGC) to reduce depressive symptoms and improve cognitive functions among Chinese rural older adults. Method: In a cluster randomized controlled trial, 290 participants were randomly assigned to a 12-session SFGC intervention or a control group. the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and Mini-Mental State Examination was adopted to measure depressive symptoms and cognitive functions, respectively, at pretest and posttest. Results: Repeated measure ANOVAs showed a significant group by time effect for both measures. Paired sample t-tests showed that depressive symptoms significantly decreased in the intervention group, but not in the control group. Cognitive functions did not change in the intervention group, but significantly declined in the control group. Conclusions: Our findings support the feasibility and effectiveness of a culturally adapted SFGC for reducing depressive symptoms and protecting cognitive functions among the disadvantaged older adults in a developing country.