Uncovering Effective CBT - Preventing and Treating Depression Among Youth

Uncovering Effective CBT-Components in Preventing and Treating Depression Among Youth

This recorded webinar was featured at the 2021 ADAA Virtual Conference Resilience and Recovery: From Research to Practice. This webinar is part of a series of select recorded conference sessions which will be available on-demand.

CBT has demonstrated to be effective for the prevention and treatment of depression in youth. However, CBT can differ in content with different presence and duration of treatment components. In order to improve the effects of CBT and to find out WHAT works best, it is important to identify (non-)effective components of CBT programs. By investigating the differential effectiveness of CBT treatment components, and how they interact, we may provide recommendations on how to further develop interventions in clinical practice for optimal use and cost-effectiveness.

The first presentation focuses on a taxonomy tool that was developed to code various treatment manuals in order to map the presence of CBT components (e.g. activation, cognitive restructuring, problem solving, relaxation, etc.), the contextual factors (e.g. target group, goal, theoretical background) and the structural factors (e.g. group or individual, number of sessions). The data is currently being analyzed, and results are summarized providing insight on the differences and similarities of CBT programs worldwide. Also conclusions and clinical implications are presented.

The second presenter discusses the differential effectiveness of four most commonly used CBT-components at preventing depression among adolescents (i.e., activation, cognitive restructuring, problem solving and relaxation) and four different sequences of these elements. A cluster randomized prevention microtrial was used with multiple assessments. The sample consists of adolescents aged 12-18 reporting subclinical levels of depressive symptoms. The data is currently being analyzed and is presented.

In the third presentation, a brief behavioral activation intervention for depressive symptoms for young people aged 11-18 is discussed (Brief BA). The presentation outlines how engagement was made central to the Brief BA approach using the framework of reinforcement. Initial feasibility data will be presented, along with clinical implications and directions for future research.

The symposium ends with a discussion, focused on the clinical implications of the results presented.

Learning Objectives

1. Distinguish different CBT-components within current protocols.
2. Know the state of art research knowledge on the effectiveness of commonly used CBT-components.
3. Apply some CBT-techniques in a new and creative way.

Registration for the 2022 ADAA Conference in Denver March 17-20, 2022 is now open.

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