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Table 1 The content of the CBGT sessions

From: Cognitive-behavioral group therapy in major depressive disorder with focus on self-esteem and optimism: an interventional study

Session No

Treatment Content

1st

- Introducing the CBT therapist, getting patients acquainted with each other, and establishing a trust-based relationship

- Expressing the importance and purpose of both the formation of a group and the provision of information on CBT

- Providing general information (specification of time, place, length, and number of the sessions)

- Setting rules and regulations for the group members (attending the session on time, respecting other patients when talking, and leaving the group in case of absence for more than two sessions)

- Conducting pre-test and making a summary of the whole session

2nd

- Encouraging patients to express their thoughts, attitudes, and experiences about depression

- Presenting the content remained by the researcher

- Summarizing the content of the session and giving patients assignment (identification and preparation of a list of patient's depression symptoms)

3rd

- Reviewing the assignments given in the previous session

- Learning how to deal with the problems and the ups and downs of life by talking and sharing ideas about having a rational, healthy, purposeful, and flexible life

- Talking about one's thoughts and beliefs

- Accepting that beliefs can be changed

- Relationship of thoughts and beliefs with psycho-emotional reactions and behavior

Summarizing the content of the session and giving patients assignments (identification and preparation of a list of patients' negative and positive beliefs and thoughts)

4th

- Reviewing the assignments given in the previous session

- Talking to group members about self-esteem and its importance

- Identification of the characteristics of people with high levels of self-esteem and finding the subjects with these characteristics

- Making patients familiar with the barriers to self-esteem caused by cognitive distortions (e.g. considering oneself as an individual with poor self-esteemed)

- Expressing effective ways to overcome barriers to self-esteem

- Summarizing the content of the session and giving patients assignments (identification and preparation of a list of barriers to self-esteem and provision of solutions for it)

5th

- Reviewing the assignments given in the previous session

- Talking about the concept of self-acceptance and related social skills

- Identification and enhancement of the core strengths, feelings, and positive emotions

- Summarizing the content of the session and giving patients assignments for the next session (identification and preparation of a list of irrational thoughts and beliefs in oneself, identification of one's strengths and weaknesses)

6th

- Reviewing the assignments given in the previous session

- Talking about optimism and its importance

- Identification of the characteristics of optimists and finding the subjects with these characteristics

- Making patients familiar with the barriers to optimism resulted from cognitive distortions

- Presenting effective ways to overcome barriers to positive thoughts

- Summarizing the content of the session and giving patients assignments (identification and preparation of a list of the traits of optimistic people)

7th

- Reviewing the assignments given in the previous session

- Enumerating the blessings (considering the little blessings of life and write down 3 of them every day)

- Providing information on how to manage negative behavior (having a clear plan to reduce negative behaviors)

- Conducting cognitive interventions (correction of distorted and dysfunctional thoughts as well as the disease-related beliefs that can affect self-esteem and optimism)

- Dealing with negative thoughts and feelings through identification of skills, positive thoughts, and feelings that improve optimism and self-esteem

- Summarizing the content of the session and giving patients assignments (preparation of a plan for boosting self-esteem and optimism and overcoming barriers)

8th

- Reviewing the assignments given in the previous session

- Getting feedback from patients about the treatment plan

- Maintaining therapeutic effects (getting feedback from subjects and providing practices for future use)

- Providing an opportunity to end the CBGT sessions

- Conducting post-test and acknowledgment