The effectiveness of psychosocial interventions on non-physiological symptoms of menopause: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions (CBT and MBI) on non-physiological symptoms of menopause, including depression, anxiety, cognition, and quality of life.
Results Summary
Psychosocial interventions, particularly CBT and MBI, significantly improved mood symptoms (depression and anxiety), cognition, and quality of life in menopausal women. CBT showed lower therapy hours (11.3) compared to MBI (18.6), suggesting reduced costs and burden.
Population
3,501 women experiencing menopause-related non-physiological symptoms.
Effective Dosage
Mean total therapy hours: CBT (11.3), MBI (18.6).
Duration
Not specified in the abstract.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) | decrease | anxiety | women | d = -0.22, 95 % CI = -0.35, -0.10 | significantly benefited | #1 |
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) | decrease | depression | women | d = -0.33, 95 % CI = -0.45, -0.21 | significantly benefited | #2 |
Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBI) | decrease | anxiety | women | d = -0.56, 95 % CI = -0.74, -0.39 | significantly benefited | #3 |
Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBI) | decrease | depression | women | d = -0.27, 95 % CI = -0.45, -0.09 | significantly benefited | #4 |
psychosocial interventions | increase | cognition | women | d = -0.23, 95 % CI = -0.40, -0.06 | significantly improve | #5 |
psychosocial interventions | increase | quality of life | women | d = -0.78, 95 % CI = -0.93, -0.63 | significantly improve | #6 |
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) | decrease | mean total therapy hours ('dose') | women | 11.3 | reduced costs and burden | #7 |
Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBI) | neutral | mean total therapy hours ('dose') | women | 18.6 | - | #8 |
BACKGROUND: Menopause, a crucial transitioning stage for women, can significantly impact mood and wellbeing. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions on non-physiological symptoms of menopause (depression, anxiety, cognition, and quality of life) through systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Five databases were searched from inception to August 2023 for randomized controlled trials. Pre- and post-test means and standard deviations for groups were extracted and used to calculate effect sizes. The effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBI) on depression and anxiety were examined by subgroup analysis. RESULTS: Thirty studies comprising 3501 women were included. From meta-analysis, mood symptoms significantly benefited from CBT (anxiety: d = -0.22, 95 % CI = -0.35, -0.10; depression: d = -0.33, 95 % CI = -0.45, -0.21) and MBI (anxiety: d = -0.56, 95 % CI = -0.74, -0.39; depression: d = -0.27, 95 % CI = -0.45, -0.09). Psychosocial interventions were also found to significantly improve cognition (d = -0.23, 95 % CI = -0.40, -0.06) and quality of life (d = -0.78, 95 % CI = -0.93, -0.63). Mean total therapy hours ('dose') was lower for CBT (11.3) than MBI (18.6), indicating reduced costs and burden for women. LIMITATIONS: Data regarding menopausal status were not collected, limiting our ability to identify the optimal timing of interventions. Potential longer-term, effects of interventions were not investigated. CONCLUSION: Our review highlighted the value of psychosocial interventions in improving non-physiological symptoms (particularly depression and anxiety) during menopause, noting the heterogeneity of findings and importance of implementing effective interventions.