{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,26]],"date-time":"2026-06-26T16:34:46Z","timestamp":1782491686664,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,7]],"date-time":"2025-07-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1751846400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychiatry"],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title><jats:p>Depressive disorders and negative emotions are a major global health challenge, affecting over 280 million people and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional treatments have limitations such as high relapse rates and accessibility issues. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of patient-centered group psychotherapy (PCGP) on depressive symptoms and functional outcomes, identify moderators, and provide recommendations.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed, CNKI, and other databases through October 2024, including 7 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and one Clinical study (total N = 1,989). Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Random-effects meta-analyses via RevMan 5.4 calculated risk ratios (RRs) and standardized mean differences (SMDs), with heterogeneity evaluated via I\u00b2 statistics.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Eligible participants comprised adults (\u226518 years) with a principal diagnosis of major depressive disorder (DSM-5\/ICD-10 criteria) or clinically significant negative emotional symptoms (e.g., PHQ-9\u226515), excluding those with primary non-depressive psychiatric comorbidities. Studies involving mixed populations were included only if subgroup data for depressed participants were extractable. PCGP showed significant positive effects on overall effectiveness (RR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.01-1.19, p = 0.03), symptom reduction (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) scores, SMD = -1.96, 95% CI: -2.31 to -1.61, p &amp;lt; 0.001), and functional outcomes (Personal and Social Performance (PSP) scores, SMD = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.41-2.51, p &amp;lt; 0.001). It also improved negative mood (SMD = -4.28, 95% CI: -8.03 to -0.52, p = 0.03) but with high heterogeneity (I\u00b2 = 99.0%). A positive trend was noted for medication adherence (RR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.89-1.38, p = 0.35).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>PCGP is an effective first-line adjunct therapy for depression, particularly in resource-limited settings. It addresses both symptom reduction and functional recovery by combining personalized goal-setting with group dynamics.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2025.1530615","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,7]],"date-time":"2025-07-07T10:34:40Z","timestamp":1751884480000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Patient-centered group psychotherapy for depression and negative emotions: a systematic review and meta-analysis"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Yang-yang","family":"Yin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhen-zhen","family":"Wan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Bo","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4102\/sajpsychiatry.v30i0.2301","article-title":"Descriptive study of mental health care users 12 months pre- and post-COVID-19 lockdown","volume":"30","author":"Hlongwane","year":"2024","journal-title":"S Afr J Psychiatr"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4102\/sajpsychiatry.v30i0.2307","article-title":"Depression, anxiety and coping mechanisms among mental healthcare practitioners during COVID-19","volume":"30","author":"Stals","year":"2024","journal-title":"S Afr J Psychiatr"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/wps.20860","article-title":"Psychotherapies for depression: a network meta-analysis covering efficacy, acceptability and long-term outcomes of all main treatment types","volume":"20","author":"Cuijpers","year":"2021","journal-title":"World Psychiatry"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2022.819096","article-title":"Improving the effectiveness of healthcare: diagnosis-centered care vs","volume":"10","author":"Martyushev-Poklad","year":"2022","journal-title":"Person-Centered Health Promotion Long Forgotten New Model Front Public Health"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cpr.2020.101815","article-title":"How do recovery-oriented interventions contribute to personal mental health recovery? 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