Group cognitive-behavioral treatment for depressed adolescent offspring of depressed parents in a health maintenance organization

Single-Case Study of the Feasibility of Parent Training and Change in Parenting in Comparison to Baseline, in Adolescents With a Major Depressive Disorder

Existing research has shown that parental behavior can influence the onset and persistence of adolescent depression; however, the initial treatment guidelines do not include parental involvement, and there is no established protocol for engaging parents. For this study, the Doepressie parent training protocol was designed to teach parents ways to help their child cope with depression, and this study sought to evaluate the feasibility and changes in parenting of combining individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for adolescents with parent training. Because of the heterogeneity observed in adolescents with depression, a single-case design study with daily diaries for parents was conducted. Adolescents (N = 9; mean age = 15.9, SD = 1.05) with major depressive disorder and their parents participated in this study. Parents reported that the parent training was feasible. After treatment, two-thirds of the adolescents no longer met the criteria for major depressive disorder. Most of the parents reported positive effects on their child's mood and activity level, problem-solving skills with their child, and parental responsiveness and competence. Four parents demonstrated medium positive change. Involving parents in the treatment of adolescent depression has significant clinical benefits. Because of the heterogeneity of adolescent depression, the impact of parental involvement varies.

Evidence-Base Update of Psychosocial and Combination Treatments for Child and Adolescent Depression

OBJECTIVE

This evidence-based update (EBU) builds on three previous reviews (1998, 2008, 2017) sponsored by the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology with the aim of evaluating the empirical support for psychosocial interventions for depression in youth.

METHOD

In the current review period (2014-2022), 25 randomized controlled trials (RCT) were identified: four in children and 21 in adolescents. Descriptive effect sizes and number-needed-to-treat (NNT) ratios were calculated for primary outcomes. Results were integrated with prior reviews, and cumulative evidence used to classify treatments as well-established, probably efficacious, possibly efficacious, or experimental. Published secondary analyses of predictors, moderators, and mediators were examined.

RESULTS

For adolescents, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT-A), CBT in combination with antidepressant medication, and collaborative care programs were all classified as well-established. The evidence was considerably weaker for children, with no treatments achieving well-established or probably efficacious status. New developments include greater exploration of parent- and family-mediated treatment models and increasing evidence on technology-assisted interventions. Data on predictors, moderators, and mediators continued to be focused on adolescent depression samples and drawn from a limited number of RCT datasets.

CONCLUSION

Since the prior EBU, there has been incremental progress in youth depression treatment research. There is an urgent need to: (a) develop innovative approaches to substantially improve on the modest effects seen in most RCTs, (b) expand the evidence base for children and other underserved groups, (c) craft evidence-based guidelines for choosing between interventions when multiple efficacious treatments do exist, and (d) address issues of treatment effectiveness and scalability to ameliorate the wide prevalence and high impact of depression in youth.

A comparison of the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural interventions based on delivery features for elevated symptoms of depression in adolescents: A systematic review

Background

Depression is a public health problem and common amongst adolescents. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is widely used to treat adolescent depression but existing research does not provide clear conclusions regarding the relative effectiveness of different delivery modalities.

Objectives

The primary aim is to estimate the relative efficacy of different modes of CBT delivery compared with each other and control conditions for reducing depressive symptoms in adolescents. The secondary aim is to compare the different modes of delivery with regard to intervention completion/attrition (a proxy for intervention acceptability).

Search Methods

The Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Clinical Trials Register was searched in April 2020. MEDLINE, PsycInfo, EMBASE, four other electronic databases, the CENTRAL trial registry, Google Scholar and Google were searched in November 2020, together with reference checking, citation searching and hand-searching of two databases.

Selection Criteria

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of CBT interventions (irrespective of delivery mode) to reduce symptoms of depression in young people aged 10-19 years with clinically relevant symptoms or diagnosis of depression were included.

Data Collection and Analysis

Screening and data extraction were completed by two authors independently, with discrepancies addressed by a third author. CBT interventions were categorised as follows: group CBT, individual CBT, remote CBT, guided self-help, and unguided self-help. Effect on depressive symptom score was estimated across validated self-report measures using Hedges' g standardised mean difference. Acceptability was estimated based on loss to follow-up as an odds ratio. Treatment rankings were developed using the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). Pairwise meta-analyses were conducted using random effects models where there were two or more head-to-head trials. Network analyses were conducted using random effects models.

Main Results

Sixty-eight studies were included in the review. The mean age of participants ranged from 10 to 19.5 years, and on average 60% of participants were female. The majority of studies were conducted in schools (28) or universities (6); other settings included primary care, clinical settings and the home. The number of CBT sessions ranged from 1 to 16, the frequency of delivery from once every 2 weeks to twice a week and the duration of each session from 20 min to 2 h. The risk of bias was low across all domains for 23 studies, 24 studies had some concerns and the remaining 21 were assessed to be at high risk of bias. Sixty-two RCTs (representing 6435 participants) were included in the pairwise and network meta-analyses for post-intervention depressive symptom score at post-intervention. All pre-specified treatment and control categories were represented by at least one RCT. Although most CBT approaches, except remote CBT, demonstrated superiority over no intervention, no approaches performed clearly better than or equivalent to another. The highest and lowest ranking interventions were guided self-help (SUCRA 83%) and unguided self-help (SUCRA 51%), respectively (very low certainty in treatment ranking). Nineteen RCTs (3260 participants) were included in the pairwise and network meta-analyses for 6 to 12 month follow-up depressive symptom score. Neither guided self-help nor remote CBT were evaluated in the RCTs for this time point. Effects were generally attenuated for 6- to 12-month outcomes compared to posttest. No interventions demonstrated superiority to no intervention, although unguided self-help and group CBT both demonstrated superiority compared to TAU. No CBT approach demonstrated clear superiority over another. The highest and lowest ranking approaches were unguided self-help and individual CBT, respectively. Sixty-two RCTs (7347 participants) were included in the pairwise and network meta-analyses for intervention acceptability. All pre-specified treatment and control categories were represented by at least one RCT. Although point estimates tended to favour no intervention, no active treatments were clearly inferior. No CBT approach demonstrated clear superiority over another. The highest and lowest ranking active interventions were individual CBT and group CBT respectively. Pairwise meta-analytic findings were similar to those of the network meta-analysis for all analyses. There may be age-based subgroup effects on post-intervention depressive symptoms. Using the no intervention control group as the reference, the magnitudes of effects appear to be larger for the oldest age categories compared to the other subgroups for each given comparison. However, they were generally less precise and formal testing only indicated a significant difference for group CBT. Findings were robust to pre-specified sensitivity analyses separating out the type of placebo and excluding cluster-RCTs, as well as an additional analysis excluding studies where we had imputed standard deviations.

Authors' Conclusions

At posttreatment, all active treatments (group CBT, individual CBT, guided self-help, and unguided self-help) except for remote CBT were more effective than no treatment. Guided self-help was the most highly ranked intervention but only evaluated in trials with the oldest adolescents (16-19 years). Moreover, the studies of guided self-help vary in the type and amount of therapist support provided and longer-term results are needed to determine whether effects persist. The magnitude of effects was generally attenuated for 6- to 12-month outcomes. Although unguided self-help was the lowest-ranked active intervention at post-intervention, it was the highest ranked at follow-up. This suggests the need for further research into whether interventions with self-directed elements enable young people to maintain effects by continuing or revisiting the intervention independently, and whether therapist support would improve long-term outcomes. There was no clear evidence that any active treatments were more acceptable to participants than any others. The relative effectiveness of intervention delivery modes must be taken into account in the context of the needs and preferences of individual young people, particularly as the differences between effect sizes were relatively small. Further research into the type and amount of therapist support that is most acceptable to young people and most cost-effective would be particularly useful.

Long-term effects of psychosocial interventions for adolescents on depression and anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Adolescence represents a distinctive phase of development, and variables linked to this developmental period could affect the efficiency of prevention and treatment for depression and anxiety, as well as the long-term prognosis. The objectives of this study were to investigate the long-term effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for adolescents on depression and anxiety symptoms and to assess the influence of different intervention parameters on the long-term effects.

Methods

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched five databases (Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, PsychInfo, Web of Science) and trial registers for relevant papers published between database inception and Aug 11, 2022, with no restrictions on the language or region in which the study was conducted. An updated search was performed on Oct 3, 2023. Randomised controlled trials of psychosocial interventions targeting specifically adolescents were included if they assessed outcomes at 1-year post-intervention or more. The risk of bias in the results was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2.0. Between-study heterogeneity was estimated using the I2 statistic. The primary outcome was depression and studies were pooled using a standardised mean difference, with associated 95% confidence interval, p-value and I2. The study protocol was pre-registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022348668).

Findings

57 reports (n = 46,678 participants) were included in the review. Psychosocial interventions led to small reductions in depressive symptoms, with standardised mean difference (SMD) at 1-year of -0.08 (95% CI: -0.20 to -0.03, p = 0.002, I2 = 72%), 18-months SMD = -0.12, 95% CI: -0.22 to -0.01, p = 0.03, I2 = 63%) and 2-years SMD = -0.12 (95% CI: -0.20 to -0.03, p = 0.01, I2 = 68%). Sub-group analyses indicated that targeted interventions produced stronger effects, particularly when delivered by trained mental health professionals (K = 18, SMD = -0.24, 95% CI: -0.38 to -0.10, p = 0.001, I2 = 60%). No effects were detected for anxiety at any assessment.

Interpretation

Psychosocial interventions specifically targeting adolescents were shown to have small but positive effects on depression symptoms but not anxiety symptoms, which were sustained up to 2 years. These findings highlight the potential population-level preventive effects if such psychosocial interventions become widely implemented in accessible settings, such as schools. Future trials should include a longer term-follow-up at least at 12 months, in order to determine whether the intervention effects improve, stay the same or wear off over time.

Funding

UKRIMedical Research Council.

Social Support and Parental Conflict as Predictors of Outcomes of Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adolescent Depression

Group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for adolescent depression, but outcomes vary. Our goal was to examine interpersonal factors that predict response to group CBT for adolescent depression using a broad range of outcomes, including depressive symptoms, session attendance, treatment completion, engagement, and improvement. Seventy adolescents (age 14-18) with depression completed self-report measures of social support and parental conflict and were offered an established 16-session group CBT program. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted for interpersonal predictors and CBT outcomes. Accounting for pre-treatment depressive symptoms, fewer social supports predicted lower likelihood of finishing treatment and less clinician-rated improvement. Greater pre-treatment parental conflict predicted fewer sessions attended, lower clinician-rated engagement, and less clinician-rated improvement. Results highlight the need to consider interpersonal difficulties in CBT, as they may present a barrier to treatment attendance, engagement, and improvement.

Overall goal of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in Major Psychiatric Disorders and Suicidality: A Narrative Review

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological treatment that is based on the underlying assumption that mental disorders and psychological distress are maintained by cognitive factors, that is, that general beliefs about the world, the self, and the future contribute to the maintenance of emotional distress and behavioral problems. The overall goal of CBT is to replace dysfunctional constructs with more flexible and adaptive cognitions. The most relevant cognitive-behavioral techniques in clinical practice are: i. Cognitive Restructuring (also known as the ABCDE method) is indicated to support patients dealing with negative beliefs or thoughts. The different steps in the cognitive restructuring process are summarized by the letters in the ABCDE acronym that describe the different stages of this coaching model: Activating event or situation associated with the negative thoughts, Beliefs and belief structures held by the individual that explain how they perceive the world which can facilitate negative thoughts, Consequences or feelings related to the activating event, Disputation of beliefs to allow individuals to challenge their belief system, and Effective new approach or effort to deal with the problem by facilitating individuals to replace unhelpful beliefs with more helpful ones. ii. Problem-Solving (also known as SOLVE) to raise awareness for specific triggers, and evaluate and choose more effective options. Each letter of the SOLVE acronym identifies different steps of the problem-solving process: Select a problem, generate Options, rate the Likely outcome of each option, choose the Very best option, and Evaluate how well each option worked. For example, a suicide attempt is reconceptualized as a failure in problem-solving. This treatment approach attempts to provide patients with a better sense of control over future emerging problems. iii. Re-attribution is a technique that enables patients to replace negative self-statements (eg, "it is all my fault") with different statements where responsibility is attributed more appropriately. Furthermore, decatastrophizing may help subjects, especially adolescents decide whether they may be overestimating the catastrophic nature of the precipitating event, and by allowing them to scale the event severity they learn to evaluate situations along a continuum rather than seeing them in black and white. iv. Affect Regulation techniques are often used with suicidal adolescents to teach them how to recognize stimuli that provoke negative emotions and how to mitigate the resulting emotional arousal through self-talk and relaxation.

Long Term Outcomes of Blended CBT Compared to Face-to-Face CBT and Treatment as Usual for Adolescents with Depressive Disorders: Analyses at 12 Months Post-Treatment

Depression is a major problem in youth mental health and identified as the leading cause of disability worldwide. There is ample research on the acute effects of treatment, with estimated small-to-moderate effect sizes. However, there is a lack of research on long-term outcomes. A total of 129 adolescents with clinical depression (82.2% female), aged 13–22 (M = 16.60, SD = 2.03), received blended CBT, face-to-face CBT or treatment as usual. Data were collected at 12 months after the intervention and compared between treatment conditions. Clinical diagnosis, depressive symptoms, suicide risk, internalizing symptoms and externalizing symptoms decreased significantly over time, from baseline to the 12-month follow-up, and also from post-treatment to the 12-month follow-up in all three conditions. Changes were not significantly different between conditions. At the long-term, improvements following the treatment continued. Due to the large amount of missing data and use of history control condition, our findings need to be interpreted with caution. However, we consider these findings as a clinical imperative. More evidence might contribute to convincing adolescents to start with therapy, knowing it has lasting effects. Further, especially for adolescents for whom it is not possible to receive face-to-face treatment, blended treatment might be a valuable alternative. Our findings might contribute to the implementation of blended CBT.

A Systematic Review Focusing on Psychotherapeutic Interventions that Impact Parental Psychopathology, Child Psychopathology and Parenting Behavior

Given the high rates of co-occurrence of psychopathology within families, it is important to identify and characterize interventions that simultaneously reduce both parent and child symptoms, and improve parenting quality. This is needed as intervention development is increasingly moving toward integrated interventions that target some combination of parent and child mental health, and parenting behavior. Even so, much remains unknown regarding which treatment components provide maximum benefit for parent symptoms, child symptoms, and parenting behavior. This systematic review identified and characterized psychotherapeutic interventions that report improvements in each of three outcomes: parent symptoms, child symptoms and parenting behavior. Fifty-six unique interventions were eligible for review, of which 25 reported improvements in all three outcomes. All 25 of these interventions directly intervened on parenting behavior, often as the sole target of the intervention. Few interventions improved all three outcomes in samples in which parents, children or both met clinical-level thresholds of psychopathology. Additional research is needed to better understand the bi-directional and transactional influences of treatment on family members, and to better inform the development of interventions for dually disordered parent-child dyads across a range of diagnostic profiles.

Psychological Treatments for Depression in Adolescents: More Than Three Decades Later

Depression is a common and impairing disorder which is a serious public health problem. For some individuals, depression has a chronic course and is recurrent, particularly when its onset is during adolescence. The purpose of the current paper was to review the clinical trials conducted between 1980 and 2020 in adolescents with a primary diagnosis of a depressive disorder, excluding indicated prevention trials for depressive symptomatology. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the pre-eminent treatment and is well established from an evidence-based treatment perspective. The body of research on the remaining treatments is smaller and the status of these treatments is varied: interpersonal therapy (IPT) is well established; family therapy (FT) is possibly effective; and short-term psychoanalytic therapy (PT) is experimental treatment. Implementation of the two treatments that work well-CBT and IPT-has more support when provided individually as compared to in groups. Research on depression treatments has been expanding through using transdiagnostic and modular protocols, implementation through information and communication technologies, and indicated prevention programs. Despite significant progress, however, questions remain regarding the rate of non-response to treatment, the fading of specific treatment effects over time, and the contribution of parental involvement in therapy.

Effectiveness and moderators of individual cognitive behavioral therapy versus treatment as usual in clinically depressed adolescents: a randomized controlled trial

We examined if manualized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was more effective than Treatment As Usual (TAU) for clinically depressed adolescents within routine care. This multisite Randomized controlled trail included 88 clinically depressed adolescents (aged 12-21 years) randomly assigned to CBT or TAU. Multiple assessments (pre-, post treatment and six-month follow-up) were done using semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and ratings and multiple informants. The primary outcome was depressive or dysthymic disorder based on the KSADS. Completers, CBT (n = 19) and TAU (n = 26), showed a significant reduction of affective diagnoses at post treatment (76% versus 76%) and after six months (90% versus 79%). Intention-to-treat analyses on depressive symptoms showed that 41.6% within CBT and 31.8% within the TAU condition was below clinical cut-off at post treatment and after six-months, respectively 61.4% and 47.7%. No significant differences in self-reported depressive symptoms between CBT and TAU were found. No prediction or moderation effects were found for age, gender, child/parent educational level, suicidal criteria, comorbidity, and severity of depression. We conclude that CBT did not outperform TAU in clinical practice in the Netherlands. Both treatments were found to be suitable to treat clinically referred depressed adolescents. CBT needs further improvement to decrease symptom levels below the clinical cut-off at post treatment.

The Association Between Parental Depression and Child Psychosocial Intervention Outcomes: Directions for Future Research

Recent studies suggest that parental depressive symptoms may affect a child's ability to benefit from interventions for anxiety and depression. This article reviews the current literature, suggesting that, when parents experience current depressive symptoms, children are less likely to benefit from psychosocial interventions for anxiety and depression. Opportunities for future research are discussed, including moderators and mechanisms of the association between parental depressive symptoms and child intervention outcomes.

Meta-Analysis: 13-Year Follow-up of Psychotherapy Effects on Youth Depression

OBJECTIVE

Youth depression is a debilitating condition that constitutes a major public health concern. A 2006 meta-analysis found modest benefits for psychotherapy versus control. Has 13 more years of research improved that picture? We sought to find out.

METHOD

We searched PubMed, PsychINFO, and Dissertation Abstracts International for 1960 to 2017, identifying 655 randomized, English-language psychotherapy trials for individuals aged 4 to 18 years. Of these, 55 assessed psychotherapy versus control for youth depression with outcome measures administered to both treatment and control conditions at post (κ = 53) and/or follow-up (κ = 32). Twelve study and outcome characteristics were extracted, and effect sizes were calculated for all psychotherapy versus control comparisons. Using a three-level random-effects model, we obtained an overall estimate of the psychotherapy versus control difference while accounting for the dependency among effect sizes. We then fitted a three-level mixed-effects model to identify moderators that might explain variation in effect size within and between studies.

RESULTS

The overall effect size (g) was 0.36 at posttreatment and 0.21 at follow-up (averaging 42 weeks after posttreatment). Three moderator effects were identified: effects were significantly larger for interpersonal therapy than for cognitive behavioral therapy, for youth self-reported outcomes than parent-reports, and for comparisons with inactive control conditions (eg, waitlist) than active controls (eg, usual care). Effects showed specificity, with significantly smaller effects for anxiety and externalizing behavior outcomes than for depression measures.

CONCLUSION

Youth depression psychotherapy effects are modest, with no significant change over the past 13 years. The findings highlight the need for treatment development and research to improve both immediate and longer-term benefits.

Can Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Be Optimized With Parent Psychoeducation? A Randomized Effectiveness Trial of Adolescents With Major Depression in Puerto Rico

This is a longitudinal randomized control trial on the impact of adding a parent psychoeducation intervention (TEPSI) as part of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in a Puerto Rican sample. We tested the efficacy of adding 8 group sessions of TEPSI to 12 sessions of individual CBT on reducing depressive symptoms, MDD diagnosis, and improving family functioning. Participants (n = 121) were randomized to individual CBT with or without TEPSI. No main group effects were found for most patient domains including depression symptoms, as well as presence of adolescent's MDD diagnosis at posttreatment. Results did show a main effect of CBT over time for depression symptoms, suicide ideation, family criticism, and the presence of MDD diagnosis decreasing from pre- to postintervention. A year post treatment, almost 70% of adolescents in both conditions (CBT and CBT + TEPSI) remained in remission. A main effect was obtained for treatment in the adolescent's perception of familism and family emotional involvement. The primary hypothesis that family psychoeducation would optimize CBT for depression in adolescents was not supported. Both conditions yielded similar clinical end points. The culturally adapted CBT was found effective with Latino/a adolescents showing clinically significant improvements from pretreatment to posttreatment and remained stable at a 1-year follow-up. Regarding family outcomes, adolescents in CBT + TEPSI remained stable from pretreatment to posttreatment on family emotional involvement, while adolescents in CBT-alone showed an increase. The implication of these findings is discussed.

Should we prescribe antidepressants to children?

In June last year, the committee on safety of medicines (CSM) advised against the use of paroxetine in depressed children and adolescents. This was subsequently followed by a similar warning regarding the use of other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), with the exception of fluoxetine (http://www.mhra.gov.uk/). The basis of this decision was a detailed review of both the published and the unpublished data. The latter were obtained from pharmaceutical companies who had not reported negative results from clinical trials to the medical community. The addition of the pharmaceutical industry data to published results exerted dramatic effects on the efficacy of available compounds. Thus with the exception of fluoxetine, the risks outweigh the benefits of the SSRIs in the treatment of childhood depression. In particular, there is evidence of a non-significant trend towards increased suicidality with most SSRIs compared with placebo. These findings have been supported by a further recent meta-analysis of the available published and unpublished data (Whittington et al, 2004). A review of the safety and efficacy of antidepressants in children and adolescents by Jureidini et al (2004) has also criticised the quality of reporting of the published trials. The review concluded that the benefits of SSRIs have been exaggerated, including those of fluoxetine, and the adverse effects have been downplayed. The authors suggest that psychological treatments are probably safer and more effective.

Generalizability of Clinical Trial Results for Adolescent Major Depressive Disorder

BACKGROUND

Although there have been a number of clinical trials evaluating treatments for adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD), the generalizability of those trials to samples of depressed adolescents who present for routine clinical care is unknown. Examining the generalizability of clinical trials of pharmacological and psychotherapy interventions for adolescent depression can help administrators and frontline practitioners determine the relevance of these studies for their patients and may also guide eligibility criteria for future clinical trials in this clinical population.

METHODS

Data on nationally representative adolescents were derived from the National Comorbidity Survey: Adolescent Supplement. To assess the generalizability of adolescent clinical trials for MDD, we applied a standard set of eligibility criteria representative of clinical trials to all adolescents in the National Comorbidity Survey: Adolescent Supplement with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition diagnosis of MDD (N = 592).

RESULTS

From the overall MDD sample, 61.9% would have been excluded from a typical pharmacological trial, whereas 42.2% would have been excluded from a psychotherapy trial. Among those who sought treatment (n = 412), the corresponding exclusion rates were 72.7% for a pharmacological trial and 52.2% for a psychotherapy trial. The criterion leading to the largest number of exclusions was "significant risk of suicide" in both pharmacological and psychotherapy trials.

CONCLUSIONS

Pharmacological and, to a lesser extent, psychotherapy clinical trials likely exclude most adolescents with MDD. Careful consideration should be given to balancing eligibility criteria and internal validity with applicability in routine clinical care while ensuring patient safety.

Evidence Base Update of Psychosocial Treatments for Child and Adolescent Depression

Depression in youth is prevalent and disabling and tends to presage a chronic and recurrent course of illness and impairment in adulthood. Clinical trial research in youth depression has a 30-year history, and evidence-based treatment reviews appeared in 1998 and 2008. The current review of 42 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) updates these reviews to include RCTs published between 2008 and 2014 (N = 14) and reevaluates previously reviewed literature. Given the growing maturity of the field, this review utilized a stringent set of methodological criteria for trial inclusion, most notable for excluding trials based in subclinical samples of youth that had been included in previous reviews (N = 12) and including well-designed RCTs with null and negative findings (N = 8). Findings from the current review suggest that evidence for child treatments is notably weaker than for adolescent interventions, with no child treatments achieving well-established status and the evidentiary basis of treatments downgraded from previous reports. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for clinically depressed children appears to be possibly efficacious, with mixed findings across trials. For depressed adolescents, both CBT and interpersonal psychotherapy are well-established interventions, with evidence of efficacy in multiple trials by independent investigative teams. This positive conclusion is tempered by the small size of the interpersonal psychotherapy literature (N = 6) and concern that CBT effects may be attenuated in clinically complicated samples and when compared against active control conditions. Data on predictors, moderators, and mediators are examined and priorities for future research discussed.

MICHI–eine Gruppen-Kurzzeitpsychotherapie zur Behandlung von Depressionen bei Jugendlichen

Kognitive Verhaltenstherapie (KVT) gilt als Mittel der Wahl bei der Behandlung von Depressionen im Jugendalter wobei bis dato noch kein deutsches Behandlungsmanual in einem randomisierten, kontrollierten Design untersucht wurde. 38 depressive Jugendliche (M=15,86, SD=±1,70 Jahre alt; 78,9 % weiblich) wurden randomisiert entweder der Kontrollgruppe (KG), die Behandlung wie üblich erhielt (TAU), oder Interventionsgruppe (IG), welche an einer ambulanten Gruppen-Kurzzeit-KVT (MICHI-Manual) teilnahm, zugeordnet. Als Effektivitätsmaße dienten die CDRS-R und das BDI-II. Die Interaktion aus Gruppe und Messzeitpunkt war sowohl für die CDRS-R (p=,02), mit einer mittleren Effektstärke (dkorr=,75), als auch für den BDI-II (p=,04), mit einer kleinen Effektstärke (dkorr=,39), signifikant. Die Gruppen-Kurzzeit-KVT entsprechend dem MICHI Manual ist verglichen mit TAU wirksam.

Comparative efficacy and acceptability of psychotherapies for depression in children and adolescents: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Previous meta-analyses of psychotherapies for child and adolescent depression were limited because of the small number of trials with direct comparisons between two treatments. A network meta-analysis, a novel approach that integrates direct and indirect evidence from randomized controlled studies, was undertaken to investigate the comparative efficacy and acceptability of psychotherapies for depression in children and adolescents. Systematic searches resulted in 52 studies (total N=3805) of nine psychotherapies and four control conditions. We assessed the efficacy at post-treatment and at follow-up, as well as the acceptability (all-cause discontinuation) of psychotherapies and control conditions. At post-treatment, only interpersonal therapy (IPT) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) were significantly more effective than most control conditions (standardized mean differences, SMDs ranged from -0.47 to -0.96). Also, IPT and CBT were more beneficial than play therapy. Only psychodynamic therapy and play therapy were not significantly superior to waitlist. At follow-up, IPT and CBT were significantly more effective than most control conditions (SMDs ranged from -0.26 to -1.05), although only IPT retained this superiority at both short-term and long-term follow-up. In addition, IPT and CBT were more beneficial than problem-solving therapy. Waitlist was significantly inferior to other control conditions. With regard to acceptability, IPT and problem-solving therapy had significantly fewer all-cause discontinuations than cognitive therapy and CBT (ORs ranged from 0.06 to 0.33). These data suggest that IPT and CBT should be considered as the best available psychotherapies for depression in children and adolescents. However, several alternative psychotherapies are understudied in this age group. Waitlist may inflate the effect of psychotherapies, so that psychological placebo or treatment-as-usual may be preferable as a control condition in psychotherapy trials.

Developing a model of mental health self-care support for children and young people through an integrated evaluation of available types of provision involving systematic review, meta-analysis and case study

Background

The mental health of children and young people (CYP) is a major UK public health concern. Recent policy reviews have identified that service provision for CYP with mental health needs is not as effective, responsive, accessible or child-centred as it could be. Following on from a previous National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) study into self-care support for CYP with long-term physical health needs, this study explored self-care support’s potential in CYP’s mental health.

Objectives

To identify and evaluate the types of mental health self-care support used by, and available to, CYP and their parents, and to establish how such support interfaces with statutory and non-statutory service provision.

Design

Two inter-related systematic literature reviews (an effectiveness review with meta-analysis and a perceptions review), together with a service mapping exercise and case study.

Setting

Global (systematic reviews); England and Wales (mapping exercise and case study).

Participants (case study)

Fifty-two individuals (17 CYP, 16 family members and 19 staff) were interviewed across six sites.

Main outcome measures (meta-analysis)

A measure of CYP’s mental health symptomatology.

Data sources (literature reviews)

MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, All Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) Reviews, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA) and Education Resources Information Center (ERIC).

Review methods

Titles and abstracts of papers were screened for relevance then grouped into studies. Two independent reviewers extracted data from studies meeting the inclusion criteria. A descriptive analysis and meta-analysis were conducted for the effectiveness review; descriptive analyses were conducted for the perceptions review. These analyses were integrated to elicit a mixed-methods review.

Results

Sixty-five of 71 included studies were meta-analysable. These 65 studies elicited 71 comparisons which, when meta-analysed, suggested that self-care support interventions were effective at 6-month [standardised mean difference (SMD) = −0.20; 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.28 to −0.11] and 12-month (SMD = −0.12; 95% CI −0.17 to −0.06) follow-ups. However, judged against Cochrane criteria, the studies were mostly low quality. Key elements of self-care support identified in the perceptions review were the acquisition of knowledge and skills, peer support and the relationship with the self-care support agent; CYP also had different perceptions from adults about what is important in self-care support. The mapping exercise identified 27 providers of 33 self-care support services. According to the case study data, effective self-care support services are predicated on flexibility; straightforward access; non-judgemental, welcoming organisations and staff; the provision of time and attention; opportunities to learn and practise skills relevant to self-care; and systems of peer support.

Conclusions

Mental health self-care support interventions for CYP are modestly effective in the short to medium term. Self-care support can be conceptualised as a process which has overlap with ‘recovery’. CYP and their families want choice and flexibility in the provision of such interventions and a continued relationship with services after the nominal therapy period. Those delivering self-care support need to have specific child-centred attributes.

Future work

Future work should focus on under-represented conditions (e.g. psychosis, eating disorders, self-harm); the role of technology, leadership and readiness in self-care support; satisfaction in self-care support; the conceptualisation of self-care support in CYP’s mental health; and efficacy and cost-effectiveness.

Study registration

PROSPERO number (for the effectiveness review) CRD42012001981.

Funding

The NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research programme.

The effects of Chinese five-element music therapy on nursing students with depressed mood

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Chinese five-element music therapy on nursing students with depressed mood. We randomly assigned 71 nursing students from Taiwan with depressed mood to the music and control groups. The music group (n = 31) received Chinese five-element music therapy, whereas the participants in the control group (n = 40) maintained their routine lifestyles with no music therapy. All of the participants were assessed using the Depression Mood Self-Report Inventory for Adolescence, and their salivary cortisol levels were measured. The study found that there was a significant reduction in depression between the pre- and posttherapy test scores and in salivary cortisol levels over time in the music group. After receiving the music therapy, the nursing students' depression levels were significantly reduced (P = 0.038) compared with the control group (P < 0.001). These results indicate that the Chinese five-element music therapy has the potential to reduce the level of depression in nursing students with depressed mood.

An analysis of stakeholder views on children's mental health services

The purpose was to examine the perspectives of mental health stakeholders as a means to guide the adaptation of evidence-based treatments. The Mental Health System Ecological (MHSE) model was used to organize therapist, administrator, and parent perspectives gathered using qualitative methods. The MHSE model posits the influences of client-level, provider-level, intervention-specific, service delivery, organizational, and service system characteristics on implementation. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with community mental health stakeholders and included parents, therapists, and administrators (N = 21). Participants included 11 primarily Caucasian (90.48%) female participants, ranging in ages between 31 and 57 years. Data were analyzed according to the MHSE model. Frequency counts were tabulated for each theme and stakeholder group differences were determined using the Mann-Whitney test. Stakeholder groups mentioned needs at each level of the MHSE model. Stakeholder group differences most notably emerged with child and family themes, which included complexity of mental health issues, parenting differences, and family stressors. Stakeholders identified challenges for optimal mental health services for children across multiple levels of an ecological model. Implications of the findings are discussed, including the continued relevance of adapting mental health interventions by increasing their flexible application across multiple target problems and the promise of partnership approaches.

Psychotherapy, Pharmacotherapy, and Their Combination for Adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder: A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis aims to inform clinical practice of treatment strategies for adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD). The efficacy of three empirically validated treatments was compared to determine the most effective treatment. These were: cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) pharmacotherapy, and combination CBT and SSRI therapy. Inclusion criteria required studies to report a reliable and valid pre- and post-treatment measure and adequate data for Hedge's g effect size to be calculated. Forty-nine studies meeting the above inclusion criteria were found and included in the analysis. Although all three treatment strategies were found to be effective, analysis revealed no significant difference in treatment outcome among CBT, SSRI, and combination therapy. An investigation of moderator variables revealed months to follow-up to significantly influence the relationship between treatment type and treatment outcome. Given that CBT has no side effects, is more cost effective, and is equally as effective as SSRI therapy and combination therapy, the current study makes a strong case for CBT as a first-line treatment strategy for adolescents with MDD.

Effectiveness and cost effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in clinically depressed adolescents: individual CBT versus treatment as usual (TAU)

BACKGROUND

Depressive disorders occur in 2 to 5% of the adolescents and are associated with a high burden of disease, a high risk of recurrence and a heightened risk for development of other problems, like suicide attempts. The effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), cost-effectiveness of this treatment and the costs of illness of clinical depression in adolescents are still unclear. Although several Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) have been conducted to establish the efficacy of CBT, the effectiveness has not been established yet. Aim of this study is to conduct a RCT to test the effectiveness of CBT and to establish the cost-effectiveness of CBT under rigorous conditions within routine care provided by professionals already working in mental health institutions.

METHOD/DESIGN

CBT is investigated with a multi-site, RCT using block randomisation. The targeted population is 140 clinically referred depressed adolescents aged 12 to 21 years old. Adolescents are randomly assigned to the experimental (N = 70, CBT) or control condition (N = 70, TAU). Four assessments (pre, post, follow up at 6 and 12 months) and two mediator assessments during treatment are conducted. Primary outcome measure is depression diagnosis based on a semi-structured interview namely the K-SADS-PL. Secondary outcome measures include depressive symptoms, severity and improvement of the depression, global functioning, quality of life, suicide risk, comorbidity, alcohol and drug use, parental depression and psychopathology, parenting and conflicts. Costs and treatment characteristics will also be assessed. Furthermore, moderator and mediator analyses will be conducted.

DISCUSSION

This trial will be the first to compare CBT with TAU under rigorous conditions within routine care and with a complex sample. Furthermore, cost-effectiveness of treatment and cost-of-illness of clinical depression are established which will provide new insights on depression as a disorder and its treatment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Dutch Trial register number NTR2676. The study was financially supported by a grant from ZonMw, the Netherlands organization for health research and development, grant number 157004005.

Evidence for the management of adolescent depression

Adolescent depression is a prevalent and disabling condition resulting in emotional suffering and social and educational dysfunction. Care for adolescent depression is suboptimal and could be improved through the development and use of quality indicators (QIs). This article reports on the development of a care pathway and QIs for the primary and specialty care management of adolescent depression from case identification through symptom remission. It presents evidence from a review of adolescent clinical practice guidelines and research literature to support QIs at critical nodes in the pathway, and describes implications for practice based on existing evidence. Barriers to measure development are identified, including gaps in empirical evidence, and a research agenda is suggested.

The effectiveness of booster sessions in CBT treatment for child and adolescent mood and anxiety disorders

BACKGROUND

To investigate the effects of booster sessions in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents with mood or anxiety disorders, whereas controlling for youth demographics (e.g., gender, age), primary diagnosis, and intervention characteristics (e.g., treatment modality, number of sessions).

METHODS

Electronic databases were searched for CBT interventions for youth with mood and anxiety disorders. Fifty-three (k = 53) studies investigating 1,937 youth met criteria for inclusion. Booster sessions were examined using two case-controlled effect sizes: pre-post and pre-follow-up (6 months) effect sizes and employing weighted least squares (WLSs) regressions.

RESULTS

Meta-analyses found pre-post studies with booster sessions had a larger effect size r = .58 (k = 15; 95% CI = 0.52-0.65; P < .01) than those without booster sessions r = .45 (k = 38; 95% CI = 0.41-0.49; P < .001). In the WLS regression analyses, controlling for demographic factors, primary diagnosis, and intervention characteristics, studies with booster sessions showed larger pre-post effect sizes than those without booster sessions (B = 0.13, P < .10). Similarly, pre-follow-up studies with booster sessions showed a larger effect size r = .64 (k = 10; 95% CI = 0.57-0.70; P < .10) than those without booster sessions r = .48 (k = 20; 95% CI = 0.42-0.53; P < .01). Also, in the WLS regression analyses, pre-follow-up studies showed larger effect sizes than those without booster sessions (B = 0.08, P < .01) after accounting for all control variables.

CONCLUSIONS

Result suggests that CBT interventions with booster sessions are more effective and the effect is more sustainable for youth managing mood or anxiety disorders than CBT interventions without booster sessions.

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Recurrent Binge Eating in Adolescent Girls: A Pilot Trial

There is a need for treatment interventions to address the high prevalence of disordered eating throughout adolescence and early adulthood. We developed an adolescent-specific manualized CBT protocol to treat female adolescents with recurrent binge eating and tested its efficacy in a small, pilot randomized controlled trial. We present lessons learned in recruiting adolescents, a description of our treatment approach, acceptability of the treatment for teens and parents, as well as results from the pilot trial. Participants in the CBT group had significantly fewer posttreatment eating binges than those in a treatment as usual/delayed treatment (TAU-DT) control group; 100% of CBT participants were abstinent at follow-up. Our results provide preliminary support for the efficacy of this adolescent adaptation of evidence-based CBT for recurrent binge eating. The large, robust effect size estimate observed for the main outcome (NNT=2) places this among the larger effects observed for any mental health intervention.

Attrition from therapy effectiveness research among youth in a clinical service setting

This study examined research attrition in clinical service settings by comparing psychotherapy research completers and dropouts in a private therapy practice. Seventy-seven children 7-12 years old enrolled in the Resilience Builder Program(®) (RBP), a manualized group therapy created and administered in a private practice. Children had social impairments, and most were diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and/or anxiety disorders. Results found that compared to completers, research dropouts had significantly greater social deficits, disruptive behavior problems, affective problems, medication use, and were more likely to be ethnic minorities. We discuss implications for research recruitment and retention in clinical service settings.

Outcome domains in child mental health research since 1996: have they changed and why does it matter?

OBJECTIVE

Child mental health treatment and services research yields more immediate public health benefit when they focus on outcomes of relevance to a broader group of stakeholders. We reviewed all experimental studies of child and adolescent treatment and service effectiveness published in the last 15 years (1996-2011) and compared the distribution and types of outcome domains to a prior review that focused on studies from the prior 15 years (1980-1995).

METHOD

Studies were included if they focused on children from birth to 18 years of age with specific or general psychiatric conditions, employed randomized designs, and examined intervention effects with a six-month or longer post-treatment assessment in treatment studies or a 6-month or longer post-baseline assessment for services studies. Two hundred (n=200) studies met criteria. Reported outcome measures were coded into conceptual categories drawn from the 1980-1995 review.

RESULTS

There was a five-fold increase in the total number of studies (38 versus 200) across the two 15-year time periods, with the largest increase in the number of studies that focused on consumer-oriented outcomes (from eight to 47 studies, an almost sixfold increase); two new domains, parent symptoms and health-related outcomes, were identified. The majority of studies (more than 95%) continued to focus on symptoms and diagnoses as an outcome. Impact ratings were higher among studies examining four or more outcomes versus one to two outcomes in all categories with the exception of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

Given major shifts in health care policy affecting mental health services, the emergence of health and parent-related outcomes as well as greater attention to consumer perspectives parallels emerging priorities in health care and can enhance the relevance of child outcome studies for implementation in the real world.

Enhancing the developmental appropriateness of treatment for depression in youth: integrating the family in treatment

Treatment models for youth depression that emphasize interpersonal functioning, particularly family relationships, may be particularly promising. This article first reviews the current state of knowledge on the efficacy of psychosocial treatments for depression in youth, with an emphasis on family involvement in treatment. It then discusses developmental factors that may impact the applicability and structure of family-focused treatment models for preadolescent and adolescent youth. Finally, two family-based treatment models that are currently being evaluated in randomized clinical trials are described: one focusing on preadolescent depressed youth and the other on adolescents who have made a recent suicide attempt.

Evidence map of prevention and treatment interventions for depression in young people

Introduction. Depression in adolescents and young people is associated with reduced social, occupational, and interpersonal functioning, increases in suicide and self-harm behaviours, and problematic substance use. Age-appropriate, evidence-based treatments are required to provide optimal care. Methods. "Evidence mapping" methodology was used to quantify the nature and distribution of the extant high-quality research into the prevention and treatment of depression in young people across psychological, medical, and other treatment domains. Results. Prevention research is dominated by cognitive-behavioral- (CBT-) based interventions. Treatment studies predominantly consist of CBT and SSRI medication trials, with few trials of other psychological interventions or complementary/alternative treatments. Quality studies on relapse prevention and treatment for persistent depression are distinctly lacking. Conclusions. This map demonstrates opportunities for future research to address the numerous evidence gaps for interventions to prevent or treat depression in young people, which are of interest to clinical researchers, policy makers, and funding bodies.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adolescent depression and suicidality

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a well-established treatment of depression in children and adolescents but treatment trials for adolescents with suicidality are few in number, and their efficacy to date is limited. This article reviews the rationale underlying the use of CBT for the treatment of depression and suicidality in adolescents, the literature supporting the efficacy of CBT for depressed adolescents, and whether CBT for depression reduces suicidal thoughts and behavior. A description of some of the core cognitive, affective, and behavioral techniques used in CBT treatments of suicidal ideation and behavior in depressed adolescents is included.

Early intervention for at risk children: 3-year follow-up

Childhood behavioral and emotional symptoms are linked with distress and dysfunction that may persist into adulthood. Effective and practical early prevention could make a significant contribution to the well-being of individuals and the functioning of communities. School-based targeted interventions are relatively easy and inexpensive to deliver and have been shown to reduce symptoms in the short term. The current study evaluates the 2- and 3-year outcome of targeted school-based drama group therapy (DGT) as compared to teaching maths and English. It shows a rapid decline in teacher-observed behavioral symptoms following DGT. By a year post intervention, symptom rates following both interventions converged and remained low throughout follow-up. Drama group therapy is rapidly effective in reducing symptoms. However, the findings also suggest that despite differing content, school-based small-group interventions are likely to share some effective components.

Combined treatment with cognitive-behavioural therapy in adolescent depression: meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The treatment of adolescent depression is controversial and studies of combined treatment (antidepressants and cognitive-behavioural therapy, CBT) have produced conflicting findings.

AIMS

To address the question of whether CBT confers additional benefit to antidepressant treatment in adolescents with unipolar depression for depressive symptoms, suicidality, impairment and global improvement.

METHOD

Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of newer-generation antidepressants and CBT in adolescent depression.

RESULTS

There was no evidence of a statistically significant benefit of combined treatment over antidepressants for depressive symptoms, suicidality and global improvement after acute treatment or at follow-up. There was a statistically significant advantage of combined treatment for impairment in the short-term (at 12 weeks) only. There was some evidence of heterogeneity between studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Adding CBT to antidepressants confers limited advantage for the treatment of an episode of depression in adolescents. The variation in sampling and methodology between studies, as well as the small number of trials, limits the generalisability of the findings and any conclusions that can be drawn. Future studies should examine predictors of response to treatment as well as clinical components that may affect outcome.

Review of Interventions for Parental Depression from Toddlerhood to Adolescence

Because of the recurrent course, significant burden, and intergenerational impact of depression, there is a great need for interventions for depressed parents and their children. This article reviews eight interventions that 1) aim to impact the functioning and well-being of 18-month to 18-year old children of depressed parents and 2) have been evaluated in controlled studies. The interventions are described and the empirical evidence of their efficacy is reviewed and critiqued. Existing research points to several promising intervention strategies, such as psychoeducation about parental depression, addressing parenting in adult depression treatment, promoting positive parent-child interactions, and teaching coping skills to children. Common limitations of the research in this area are small sample sizes, homogenous samples, and lack of replication. Implementation problems within the mental healthcare system are highlighted. Multi-component interventions seem to be a promising approach to address the complex impact parental depression has on children and the parent-child relationship. This review illustrates the need for more research on intervention models that can be implemented with children at various developmental levels.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy versus usual clinical care for youth depression: an initial test of transportability to community clinics and clinicians

Community clinic therapists were randomized to (a) brief training and supervision in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for youth depression or (b) usual care (UC). The therapists treated 57 youths (56% girls), ages 8-15, of whom 33% were Caucasian, 26% were African American, and 26% were Latino/Latina. Most youths were from low-income families and all had Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) depressive disorders (plus multiple comorbidities). All youths were randomized to CBT or UC and treated until normal termination. Session coding showed more use of CBT by CBT therapists and more psychodynamic and family approaches by UC therapists. At posttreatment, depression symptom measures were at subclinical levels, and 75% of youths had no remaining depressive disorder, but CBT and UC groups did not differ on these outcomes. However, compared with UC, CBT was (a) briefer (24 vs. 39 weeks), (b) superior in parent-rated therapeutic alliance, (c) less likely to require additional services (including all psychotropics combined and depression medication in particular), and (d) less costly. The findings showed advantages for CBT in parent engagement, reduced use of medication and other services, overall cost, and possibly speed of improvement--a hypothesis that warrants testing in future research.

Psychoeducational treatment and prevention of depression: the "Coping with Depression" course thirty years later

The "Coping with Depression" course (CWD) is by the far the best studied psychoeducational intervention for the treatment and prevention of depression, and is used in routine practice in several countries. The CWD is a highly structured cognitive-behavioral intervention, which has been adapted for several goals, contexts, and target populations. The efficacy of the CWD has been examined in 25 randomized controlled trials. We conducted a meta-analysis of these studies. The 6 studies aimed at the prevention of new cases of major depression were found to result in a reduced risk of getting major depression of 38% (incidence rate ratio was 0.62). The 18 studies examining the CWD as a treatment of depression found a mean effect size (Cohen's d) of 0.28. Direct comparisons with other psychotherapies did not result in any indication that the CWD was less efficacious. The CWD is a flexible treatment which can easily be adapted for different populations and this may have led researchers to use this intervention for complex target groups, which in turn may have resulted in a lower mean effect size. The CWD has contributed considerably to the development and innovation of prevention and treatment of depression in many target populations.

Core components of therapy in youth: do we know what to disseminate?

Bridging the gap between lab and clinic has become a rallying cry for a generation of treatment researchers, and identifying and overcoming barriers to successful dissemination of best-practice treatment has become a major public mental health priority. In this review, the authors argue that a key limit to accomplishing this goal may be found back in the original research laboratories where these treatments were developed. Despite 50 years of research and 1,500 clinical trials, there are surprisingly little data on what makes youth psychotherapy therapeutic. To illustrate the problem this poses for dissemination, the adolescent depression literature is reviewed in terms of (a) critical core components of intervention and (b) basic processes through which these techniques operate. Process-outcome relationships in cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, and family therapy models are examined with descriptive meta-analytic techniques. Discussion of treatment dissemination follows, focusing on the value of basic research on core psychotherapeutic techniques and processes.

Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for child and adolescent depression

The evidence-base of psychosocial treatment outcome studies for depressed youth conducted since 1998 is examined. All studies for depressed children meet Nathan and Gorman's (2002) criteria for Type 2 studies whereas the adolescent protocols meet criteria for both Type 1 and Type 2 studies. Based on the Task Force on the Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures guidelines, the cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) based specific programs of Penn Prevention Program, Self-Control Therapy, and Coping with Depression-Adolescent are probably efficacious. Interpersonal Therapy-Adolescent, which falls under the theoretical category of interpersonal therapy (IPT), also is a probably efficacious treatment. CBT provided through the modalities of child group only and child group plus parent components are well-established intervention approaches for depressed children. For adolescents, two modalities are well-established (CBT adolescent only group, IPT individual), and three are probably efficacious (CBT adolescent group plus parent component, CBT individual, CBT individual plus parent/family component). From the broad theoretical level, CBT has well-established efficacy and behavior therapy meets criteria for a probably efficacious intervention for childhood depression. For adolescent depression, both CBT and IPT have well-established efficacy. Future research directions and best practices are offered.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adolescent depression: a meta-analytic investigation of changes in effect-size estimates

OBJECTIVE

To explicate differences between early and recent meta-analytic estimates of the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for adolescent depression.

METHOD

Meta-analytic procedures were used to investigate whether methodological characteristics moderated mean effect sizes among 11 randomized, controlled trials of CBT focusing on adolescents meeting diagnostic criteria for unipolar depression.

RESULTS

Cumulative meta-analyses indicated that effects of CBT have decreased from large effects in early trials, and confidence intervals have become narrower. Effect sizes were significantly smaller among studies that used intent-to-treat analytic strategies, compared CBT to active treatments, were conducted in clinical settings, and featured greater methodological rigor based on CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) criteria. The mean posttreatment effect size of 0.53 was statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Differences in estimates of the efficacy of CBT for depressed adolescents may stem from methodological differences between early and more recent investigations. Overall, results support the effectiveness of CBT for the treatment of adolescent depression.

Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with depressive disorders

This practice parameter describes the epidemiology, clinical picture, differential diagnosis, course, risk factors, and pharmacological and psychotherapy treatments of children and adolescents with major depressive or dysthymic disorders. Side effects of the antidepressants, particularly the risk of suicidal ideation and behaviors are discussed. Recommendations regarding the assessment and the acute, continuation, and maintenance treatment of these disorders are based on the existent scientific evidence as well as the current clinical practice.

Psychotherapy for depression among children and adolescents: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To examine the clinical benefit, the harm and the cost-effectiveness of psychotherapies in comparison with no treatment, waiting-list controls, attention-placebos, and treatment as usual in depressed youths.

METHOD

Meta-analyses were undertaken by using data from all relevant randomized-controlled trials identified by a comprehensive literature search. The primary outcome was relative risk (RR) of response.

RESULTS

We identified 27 studies containing 35 comparisons and 1,744 participants. At post-treatment, psychotherapy was significantly superior (RR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.18-1.65, P = 0.0001, number-needed to treat 4.3). There was an evidence of the existence of small study effects, including a publication bias (P < 0.001). The superiority of psychotherapy was no longer statistically significant (1.18 [0.94-1.47], P = 0.15) at 6-month follow-up. None of the studies reported adverse effects or cost-effectiveness outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Although the findings were biased by some small positive trials, psychotherapies appear to help depressed youths for the short term, but are no longer significantly favourable at 6-month follow-up.

What are the active ingredients in cognitive and behavioral psychotherapy for anxious and depressed children? A meta-analytic review

Prior meta-analytic reviews have indicated that cognitive and behavioral treatments are efficacious in treating child and adolescent depression and anxiety. Further, a meta-analysis has suggested that behavioral treatments are superior to nonbehavioral treatments for treating anxiety and depression in youth. However, the prior meta-analysis did not examine direct comparisons between cognitive and behavioral treatments (CBT) and non-CBT treatments, leaving open the possibility that their results were artifactual. The present meta-analysis aggregated results of studies in which CBT treatments were compared with either other bona fide treatments (including other CBT therapies) or non-bona fide therapies. The heterogeneity of the distribution of differences between bona fide treatments as well as a comparison of full (e.g. CBT+Parent training) versus component treatments (e.g., CBT only) were examined. The results indicated that: (a) CBT was more efficacious than non-bona fide therapies; (b) CBT was no more efficacious than bona fide non-CBT treatments (c) the differences between bona fide treatments were homogenously distributed around zero; and (d) full CBT treatments offered no significant benefit over their components. The results strongly suggest that the theoretically purported critical ingredients of CBT are not specifically ameliorative for child and adolescent depression and anxiety.

[Effects of pharmaco- and psychotherapeutic interventions in depression among children and adolescents]

Contrary to earlier assumptions, the current consensus is that depression constitutes an important issue in the mental health of children and adolescents. Thus, effective therapy options for depressive children and adolescents are needed. Randomized, controlled intervention studies are reviewed: 24 studies on pharmacological interventions, 11 studies on psychological interventions, and two on combination therapy. For approximately half of the intervention methods (pharmacotherapy: 3/8; psychotherapy: 2/5) no randomized, controlled studies carried out. Furthermore, only some SSRI (fluoxetin, citalopram and sertralin) yielded positive results with regard to depressive symptoms. Beyond these results, fluoxetin is the sole pharmacological treatment during which suicidality does not increase as compared to results for a placebo control group (Hammad et al., 2006; Whittington et al., 2004). Earlier studies of CBT, IPT, and family therapy reported predominantly positive effects. Nevertheless, initial results for combination therapies (SSRI & CBT) indicate an advantage of this therapy approach over mono-therapies. Empirical data are described, followed by a discussion of the strengths and limitations of the earlier studies.

Remission and residual symptoms after short-term treatment in the Treatment of Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS)

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain remission rates in depressed youth participating in the Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS), a multisite clinical trial that randomized 439 adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) to a 12-week treatment of fluoxetine (FLX), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), their combination (COMB), or clinical management with pill placebo (PBO).

METHOD

Using an end-of-treatment Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R) total score of 28 or below as the criterion for remission, rates of remission were examined with logistic regression, controlling for site. Loss of MDD diagnosis and residual symptoms in responders (defined as Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I) score of 1 (very much improved) or 2 (much improved) were also examined across treatment groups.

RESULTS

After 12 weeks of treatment, 102 (23%) of 439 youths had reached remission. The remission rate was significantly higher in the COMB group (37%) relative to the other treatment groups (FLX, 23%; CBT, 16%; PBO, 17%), with odds ratios of 2.1 for COMB versus FLX, 3.3 for COMB versus CBT, and 3.0 for COMB versus PBO. In addition, 71% of subjects across treatment groups no longer met criteria for MDD at the end of acute treatment. Fifty percent of the youths who responded by CGI-I criteria continued to have residual symptoms, such as sleep or mood disturbances, fatigue, and poor concentration.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of FLX and CBT was superior to both monotherapy and PBO in terms of remission rates, but overall rates of remission remain low and residual symptoms are common at the end of 12 weeks of treatment.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for depression in youth

Without question, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most studied non-pharmacological intervention for the treatment of depression in youth, with over 80% of published psychotherapy trials testing the effects of CBT protocols. Until quite recently, CBT also was widely proclaimed to be a highly effective intervention for youth depression, albeit with stronger data for adolescent than for child samples. However, within the past two years, a series of new findings have complicated this previously rosy picture of CBT. The most well-known results come from the Treatment of Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS, 2004). In the TADS investigation, CBT failed to outperform a pill placebo, while active medication treatments (fluoxetine alone and fluoxetine-plus-CBT) produced strong and consistent effects. In this article, the authors strive to make sense of these seemingly conflicting findings, provide direction for the appropriate use of CBT in practice given the current evidence base, and suggest areas of additional investigation that may help to clarify the current confusion on the effects of CBT.