The Relationship Between Use of CBT Skills and Depression Treatment Outcome: A Theoretical and Methodological Review of the Literature

Abstract Cognitive and behavioral therapies emphasize the importance of skill acquisition and use, and these skills are proposed to mediate treatment outcomes. Despite its theoretical importance, research on skill use as a mechanism of change in CBT and its measurement is still in its infancy. A search of online databases was conducted to identify and review the literature testing the meditational effect of CBT skills on treating depression in adults. Additionally, we reviewed the various methods to assess a patient's use of CBT skills. We identified 13 studies examining the frequency of CBT skill use and 11 studies examining the quality of CBT skill use. While the literature provides preliminary evidence for the mediational role of CBT skill use frequency and quality on depression treatment outcomes, methodological limitations in much of the existing literature prevent firm conclusions about the role of skills use on treatment outcomes.