Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Adolescent Depression and Suicidality

Abstract

Synopsis CBT has emerged as a well-established treatment for depression in children and adolescents but treatment trials for adolescents with suicidality are few in number, and their efficacy to date is rather limited. Although a definitive treatment for adolescent suicide attempters has yet to be established, the limited literature suggests that suicidal thoughts and behavior should be directly addressed for optimal treatment outcome. This chapter 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.

Cognitive–behavioural therapy and short-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy versus brief psychosocial intervention in adolescents with unipolar major depression (IMPACT): a multicentre, pragmatic, observer-blind, randomised controlled trial

“…80,81 CBT included up to 20 sessions plus up to four parent sessions over 30 weeks. CBT therapists were routine CAMHS clinicians and were either clinical psychologists or other clinicians who had received post-qualification training in CBT.…”

The treatment of suicidality in adolescents by psychosocial interventions for depression: A systematic literature review

“…Possibly, future research may benefit from a more thorough examination of more subtle commonalities between suicide only interventions and those that target depression Overall, the findings of this review add a number of new dimensions to previous similar reviews. This review provides partial support for the review by Spirito et al (2011) which found CBT depressive interventions have equivalent efficacy for suicidality when compared to other treatments. The results of our review differ to the previous review on psychological therapy for depression in adolescents by Weisz et al (2006), which found psychological interventions have only marginal effects on suicidality.…”

“…The Weisz review noted considerable heterogeneity in the type of control group employed by the different studies, including medication placebos, supportive therapy and a waiting list control. Finally, a more recent literature review of seven studies focused specifically on CBT for the treatment of adolescent depression and its effect on suicidality (Spirito et al, 2011) and concluded that most CBT intervention studies provide comparable reductions in suicidality to family therapy, supportive therapy and pharmacotherapy, but show the most promise for also reducing major depressive disorder (MDD) diagnoses and depressive symptoms. This however conflicted with the Weisz et al (2006) meta-analysis which did not find any evidence that cognitive treatments are more effective than noncognitive approaches.…”

Role of Cognitive Factors and Distortions in Adolescent Suicides

“…Bu alandaki çalışmaların çoğu bilişsel davranışçı terapinin özkıyım düşüncesini azalttığını bildirmektedir. [33,59] Ancak, klinik belirtilerle başvuran çocuk ve ergen grubun bilişlerine yönelik yeterli sayıda veri bulunmamasının bu alandaki terapinin uygulanması ve etkinliğinin ortaya konması üzerinde etkisi olabileceği de belirtilmiştir. [60] Sonuç Özkıyım, ergen ruh sağlığı açısından oldukça önemli bir konudur.…”