One-Day Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomised Controlled Trial in China

The translation of evidence-based psychological treatments into accessible, real-world care remains a central challenge in global mental health implementation. Although approximately 3.4% of Chinese adults meet criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), only around 12% receive any form of treatment. Developing brief, low-intensity psychological interventions that can be feasibly delivered at scale is therefore a pressing clinical and public health priority. This randomised controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of a one-day CBT workshop (ODCBT) in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms and improving self-esteem among patients with MDD in mainland China. Sixty patients were randomly assigned to either the ODCBT condition or a wait-list control group, with outcomes assessed at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at two-week follow-up. Compared with the wait-list group, patients receiving ODCBT demonstrated significant reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms alongside significant improvements in self-esteem. These findings are consistent with prior one-day CBT trials and indicate that a single-session group format can produce clinically meaningful change. ODCBT represents a scalable, low-resource intervention with potential for integration into stepped-care frameworks, offering a practical pathway toward addressing China’s depression treatment gap and informing future training and implementation efforts. Trial Registration : ChiCTR2400093783 Chinese Clinical Trial Registry https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/ChiCTR2400093783 .