Application and Evaluation of Group Cognitive Intervention for Depressed Adolescents
Condition: Community Adolescents at Risk for Depression and Suicide
MeSH terms: Depression; Suicide
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Early Phase 1

Summary: 
      Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective and CBT with parental involvement has
      potential in preventing and treating adolescent depression. The purpose of this study was to
      compare the short- and long-term effectiveness of CBT alone and CBT plus parental education
      for community-based adolescents at risk for depression and suicide in Taiwan. It is
      hypothesized that the CBT alone and CBT with parental education group are more effective than
      the control group.
    

Detailed description: 
      Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is well known for its active, directive, time-limited, and
      structured approach. Despite an increasing prevalence of adolescent depression in Taiwan, few
      studies have been conducted to evaluate the immediate and long-term effectiveness of CBT for
      community-based adolescents at risk for depression and suicide. Also, little is known about
      the effectiveness of the involvement of parents in CBT groups. The Adolescent Coping with
      Depression Course (CWDA) (19) is an effective CBT-oriented group intervention for adolescent
      depression. However, it has not been tested in specific cultural groups. The primary purpose
      of this study was therefore to compare the immediate and long-term effectiveness of CBT
      alone, CBT with parental education, and control groups for community-based adolescents at
      risk for depression and suicide.A quasi-experimental research design was used in this study.
      Community-based high school students at risk for depression and suicide were recruited and
      assigned to one of two experimental groups or a control group. Students in the experimental
      groups received CBT plus parental education (group A, n = 9) or CBT alone (group B, n = 10).
      The control group was designed as a waiting list group (group C, n = 12). Both experimental
      groups received a follow-up session 1 year after the intervention. Several outcome variables
      (depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, cognitive triad, learned resourcefulness [LR], and
      salivary cortisol level) were used to determine the effectiveness of treatment.
    

Intervention name(s): CBT plus parent education; CBT alone
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The 10-session group CBT with two-session parental education in our study was derived from the CWDA, with some modifications made based on cultural considerations. Skills taught and discussed included mood monitoring, improving social skills, increasing pleasant activities, decreasing anxiety, reducing depressogenic cognitions, improving communication, and conflict resolution. The issues taught and discussed included an introduction to adolescent depression and suicide, their etiology, symptoms, treatment, and prognosis, as well as stress management. A 1-year individual follow-up program was used to maintain the effect of the experimental intervention and to provide necessary individual interventions for students such as CBT, support, and counseling.; The 10-session group CBT with two-session parental education in our study was derived from the CWDA, with some modifications made based on cultural considerations. Skills taught and discussed included mood monitoring, improving social skills, increasing pleasant activities, decreasing anxiety, reducing depressogenic cognitions, improving communication, and conflict resolution.A 1-year individual follow-up program was used to maintain the effect of the experimental intervention and to provide necessary individual interventions for students such as CBT, support, and counseling.
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Care Provider)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: CBT, Depressed and suicidal adolescents