Objective To explore and discuss the effect of modified TCM emotional therapy（ MTET） with antidepressant on symptoms and psychological function of patients suffering from depression. Methods Randomly divided 86 cases of patients suffering from depression into the control group and the treatment group

with 43 cases each. All patients were given normal antidepressant for treatment. The control group was given normal supportive psychotherapy at the same time

once every week

30 min each time. The treatment group was given MTET for treatment at the same time

once every week

30 to 40 min each time. Both groups were treated for 8 weeks. Before treatment and at the second

forth

eighth week of treatment respectively

adopted Hamilton Depression Scale 17 item（ HAMD-17）

Hamilton Anxiety Scale（ HAMA）

self-rating depression scale（ SDS）

self-rating anxiety scale（ SAS） for grading. Adopted index of well-being（ IWB）

simplified coping style questionnaire（ SCSQ）

The self-esteem scale（ SES） for evaluating psychological function. Results There were 36 cases in the control group and 34 cases in the control group finished the experiment. HAMD-17

HAMA

SDS and SAS grading at the 2th

4th

8th week of treatment of two groups all remarkably decreased compared with that before treatment（ P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01）. Compared with the control group

HAMD-17

SDS and SAS grading of the treatment group at the second week of treatment remarkably decreased（ P < 0. 01）; At the 4th and 8th week of treatment

HAMD-17

HAMA

SDS and SAS grading of the treatment group were remarkably lower than that of the control group（ P < 0. 01）. After being treated for 8weeks

only IWB grading in the control group increased compared with that before treatment（ P < 0. 05）; Grading of positive coping of SCSQ

IWB and SES of the treatment group increased; Negative coping grading of SCSQ decreasing（ P < 0. 01）; Grading of positive coping of SCSQ

IWB and SES of the treatment group after treatment were all remarkably higher than the control group

while negative coping grading of SCSQ was lower than that of the control group（ P < 0. 05 or P < 0. 01）. Conclusion Clinical curative effects of MTET with antidepressant treating depression was superior to that of antidepressant only. It could remarkably improve psychopathology related to depression.