Behavioral Treatment for Depressed Mood: A Pleasant Events Intervention for Seniors Residing in Assisted Living 

This pilot study examined a pleasant events focused treatment for depressed mood (Lichtenberg, Kimbarow, Wall, Roth, & MacNeill, 1998) in frail older adults. Using a cross-over design, 15 individuals from two suburban assisted living settings were randomly assigned to either the immediate treatment group (n = 8) or the wait-list control group (n = 7). Data from all participants were collected at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Trained staff delivered the treatment sessions to residents over a 3-month period for 30-minute sessions. Mood ratings (p < .05) and depression scores (p < .09) tended to improve for both treatment groups. Overall, 37% (4 of 11) of those who initially scored above the cutoff for depression scored below it following the treatment package; all of these four remained below threshold at final follow-up. This type of behavioral treatment appears promising for assisted living residents with mild to moderate levels of depressed mood.