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

Javier Méndez, Óscar Sánchez-Hernández, Judy Garber, José P. Espada and Mireia Orgilés
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Javier Méndez: Department of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatment, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Óscar Sánchez-Hernández: Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Judy Garber: Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37302, USA
José P. Espada: Department of Health Psychology, Miguel Hernández University, 03202 Elche, Spain
Mireia Orgilés: Department of Health Psychology, Miguel Hernández University, 03202 Elche, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-35

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: adolescents; depression; psychological treatments; qualitative review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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