Evidence-Based Psychosocial Treatments for Child and Adolescent Depression

Abstract

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.

Notes

Note: Effect size (ES) is Cohen's d; ATQ = Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire–Revised; BAI = Beck Anxiety Inventory; BDI = Beck Depression Inventory; BGI = Bereavement Group Intervention; CAS = Child Assessment Schedule; CASQ = Children's Attributional Style Questionnaire; CBCL = Child Behavior Checklist; CBT = Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; CDI = Children's Depression Inventory; C-GAS = Children's Global Assessment Scale; CPTSRI = Childhood Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index; DICA–R = Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents; DSM–IV = Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.); ext = externalizing; FES = Family Environment Scale; FIPP = Focused Individual Psychodynamic Psychotherapy; int = internalizing; K-SADS-P = Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for Children–Present Episode; MFQ = Moods and Feelings Questionnaire; POP = Penn Optimism Program; PP = Psychodynamic Psychotherapy; PRP = Penn Resiliency Program; PTSD = Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; RCMAS = Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale; SAICA = Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents; SIFT = Systems Integrative Family Therapy; SPPC = Self-Perception Profile for Children; STAIC = State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children.

Note: Effect size (ES) is Cohen's d. ABFT = Attachment-Based Family Therapy; ACE = Adolescents Coping with Emotions; ACL = Adjective Checklist; ACS = Adolescent Coping Scale; ADIS-C = Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children; ATQ = Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire; BDI = Beck Depression Inventory; BHS = Beck Hopelessness Scale; CASAFS = Child and Adolescent Social and Adaptive Functioning Scale; CATS = Children's Automatic Thought Scale; CBCL = Child Behavior Checklist; CBT = Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; CBT = Cognitive Bibliotherapy Test; CDI = Child Depression Inventory; CDRS-R = Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised; CES-D = Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale; C-GAS = Children's Global Assessment Scale; CGI = Clinical Global Impressions; CIDI-12 = Composite International Diagnostic Interview, Version 2.1; CSQ = Client Satisfaction Questionnaire; CWD–A = CBT Adolescents Coping with Depression Course; DAS = Dysfunctional Attitude Scale; DISC 2.3 = Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version 2.3; DSM-III-R = Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(3rd ed., Rev.); FAD = Family Assessment Device; FEICS = Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale; FPE = Family Psychoeducation; F-SADS = Family Schedule of Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia; GAF = Global Assessment of Functioning Scale; GARFS = Global Assessment of Relational Functioning Scale; HAM-D = Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; HDRS = Depression Rating Scale; HoNOSCA = Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for Children and Adolescents; HRSD = Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression; IPT-A = Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents; IPT-AST = Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training; K-SADS-E = Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for Children-Epidemiologic Version; LIFE = Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation; LS = Life Skills/Tutoring; MCS-12 = Mental Health Summary Score; MHI-5 = Mental Health Inventory 5; NOS = Not Otherwise Specified; NPO = Negative Problem Orientation; PES = Pleasant Events Schedule; PHCSCS = Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale; RADS = Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale; RCMAS = Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale; SASCA = Social Adjustment Scale for Children and Adolescents; SAS-SR = Social Adjustment Scale–Self-Report version; SASY = Social Adjustment Scale for Youth; SCAS = Spence Children's Anxiety Scale; SC = School Counseling; SEQ = Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Depressed Adolescents; SIQ = Suicidal Ideation Question; SPSI-R = Social Problem-Solving Inventory–Revised; SRFF = Self-Report of Family Functioning; SSAI = Structured Social Adjustment Interview; STAIC = State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children; YSR = Youth Self-Report.

Note: Bold and Underlined is theoretical orientation; bold is modality; italicized is specific intervention. Studies are listed chronologically.

Note: Bold and Underlined is theoretical orientation; bold is modality; italicized is specific intervention. Studies are listed chronologically.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Corinne David-Ferdon

Corinne David-Ferdon is currently at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.