Cognitive Behavioral Program for the Prevention of Depression in At-Risk Adolescents: Isolating the Effects of Dose.

The current study estimated effects of intervention dose (attendance) of a cognitive behavioral prevention (CBP) program on depression-free days (DFD) in adolescent offspring of parents with a history of depression. As part of secondary analyses of a multi-site randomized controlled trial, we analyzed the complete intention-to-treat sample of 316 at-risk adolescents ages 13-17. Youth were randomly assigned to the CBP program plus usual care (n=159) or to usual care alone (n=157).

Augmenting usual care SSRIs with cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia to improve depression outcomes in youth: Design of a randomized controlled efficacy-effectiveness trial.

Importance: Extant treatments for youth depression are only modestly effective. Alternative approaches are needed to improve health outcomes. A novel approach to improve depression outcomes is suggested by epidemiological studies finding that insomnia often predates and may contribute to depression risk.

Cognitive-behavioral treatment of insomnia and depression in adolescents: A pilot randomized trial.

We tested whether augmenting conventional depression treatment in youth by treating sleep issues with cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) improved depression outcomes. We randomized youth 12-20 years of age to 10 weekly sessions of a sleep hygiene control condition (SH) combined with CBT for depression (CBT-D) (n = 20), or an experimental condition consisting of CBT-I combined with CBT-D (n = 21). We assessed outcomes through 26 weeks of follow-up and found medium-large effects favoring the experimental CBT-I arm on some sleep outcomes (actigraphy total sleep time and Insomnia Severity Index "caseness") and depression outcomes (higher percentage recovered, faster time to recovery), but little effect on other measures.

Collaborative care for adolescents with depression in primary care: a randomized clinical trial.

Importance: Up to 20% of adolescents experience an episode of major depression by age 18 years yet few receive evidence-based treatments for their depression.

Objective: To determine whether a collaborative care intervention for adolescents with depression improves depressive outcomes compared with usual care.

Design: Randomized trial with blinded outcome assessment conducted between April 2010 and April 2013.

Evidence for the management of adolescent depression.

Adolescent depression is a prevalent and disabling condition resulting in emotional suffering and social and educational dysfunction. Care for adolescent depression is suboptimal and could be improved through the development and use of quality indicators (QIs). This article reports on the development of a care pathway and QIs for the primary and specialty care management of adolescent depression from case identification through symptom remission.

Evaluating the promise of health IT to enhance/expand the reach of mental health services.

Objective: A growing number of health information technologies (HIT) are being developed and tested to address mental health conditions. HIT includes Internet and smartphone programs or apps, text messaging protocols and telepsychiatry. We reviewed the promise and evidence that HIT can expand access to mental health care and reduce disparities in use of services across groups in need.

Impact of treatments for depression on comorbid anxiety, attentional, and behavioral symptoms in adolescents with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor-resistant depression.

Objective: To assess the relative efficacy of antidepressant medication, alone and in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), on comorbid symptoms of anxiety, attention, and disruptive behavior disorders in participants in the Treatment of Resistant Depression in Adolescents (TORDIA) trial.

Method: Adolescents with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)-resistant depression (N = 334) were randomly assigned to a medication switch alone (to another SSRI or to venlafaxine) or to a medication switch plus CBT. Anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and disruptive behavior disorder (DBD) symptoms were assessed by psychiatric interview and self-report at regular intervals between baseline and 24 weeks.

The complex role of sleep in adolescent depression.

Psychological and pharmacologic treatments for youth depression yield post-acute response and remission rates that are modest at best. Improving these outcomes is an important long-term goal. The authors examine the possibility that a youth cognitive behavioral therapy insomnia intervention may be an adjunct to traditional depression-focused treatment with the aim of improving depression outcomes.

Incremental cost-effectiveness of combined therapy vs medication only for youth with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor-resistant depression: treatment of SSRI-resistant depression in adolescents trial findings.

Context: Many youth with depression do not respond to initial treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and this is associated with higher costs. More effective treatment for these youth may be cost-effective.

Objective: To evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness over 24 weeks of combined cognitive behavior therapy plus switch to a different antidepressant medication vs medication switch only in adolescents who continued to have depression despite adequate initial treatment with an SSRI.

Defensive startle response to emotional social cues in social anxiety.

Potentiation of fear-related defense behaviours coordinated by the amygdala in response to environmental threat characterizes several anxiety disorders. We compared eye-blink startle responses to startle probes delivered during the presentation of emotional and neutral social cues in high and low generalized social anxiety. Socially anxious individuals exhibited larger startle responses to emotional (positive and negative) relative to neutral social cues, compared to non-anxious individuals.

Treatment of Resistant Depression in Adolescents (TORDIA): week 24 outcomes.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to report on the outcome of participants in the Treatment of Resistant Depression in Adolescents (TORDIA) trial after 24 weeks of treatment, including remission and relapse rates and predictors of treatment outcome.

Method: Adolescents (ages 12-18 years) with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)-resistant depression were randomly assigned to either a medication switch alone (alternate SSRI or venlafaxine) or a medication switch plus cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). At week 12, responders could continue in their assigned treatment arm and nonresponders received open treatment (medication and/or CBT) for 12 more weeks (24 weeks total).

Effective components of TORDIA cognitive-behavioral therapy for adolescent depression: preliminary findings.

In this report, we conducted a secondary analysis of the Treatment of SSRI-Resistant Depression in Adolescents (TORDIA) study to explore the impact of specific cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment components on outcome. In TORDIA, 334 youths (ages 12 to 18 years) with major depressive disorder who had failed to respond to an adequate course of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medication were randomized to a medication switch (either to an alternative SSRI or venlafaxine) with or without 12 weeks of adjunctive CBT. Participants who had more than 9 CBT sessions were 2.

Substance use and the treatment of resistant depression in adolescents.

Objective: Despite the known association between substance use disorders and major depressive disorder (MDD) among adolescents, little is known regarding substance use among adolescents with MDD.

Method: Youths with MDD who had not improved after an adequate selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor trial (N = 334) were enrolled in the Treatment of SSRI-Resistant Depression in Adolescents trial. Analyses examined substance use (via the Drug Use Severity Index) and changes therein in relation to treatment and depressive symptoms.

Randomized effectiveness trial of an Internet, pure self-help, cognitive behavioral intervention for depressive symptoms in young adults.

This study evaluated an Internet-delivered, cognitive behavioral skills training program versus a treatment-as-usual (TAU) control condition targeting depression symptoms in young adults aged 18 to 24 years. Potential participants were mailed a recruitment brochure; if interested, they accessed the study website to complete an online consent and baseline assessment. Intervention participants could access the website at their own pace and at any time.

Treatment of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor-resistant depression in adolescents: predictors and moderators of treatment response.

Objective: To advance knowledge regarding strategies for treating selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)-resistant depression in adolescents, we conducted a randomized controlled trial evaluating alternative treatment strategies. In primary analyses, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) combined with medication change was associated with higher rates of positive response to short-term (12-week) treatment than medication alone. This study examines predictors and moderators of treatment response, with the goal of informing efforts to match youths to optimal treatment strategies.

Using a website to build community and enhance outcomes in a group, multi-component intervention promoting healthy diet and exercise in adolescents.

Objective: This article describes website use and behavioral outcomes in a multi-component lifestyle intervention promoting healthy diet and exercise.

Methods: A 2-year randomized clinical trial to improve bone density in 228 adolescent girls, the intervention included a website designed to enhance intervention adherence, retention of participants, and behavioral outcomes. Measures included diet and exercise recalls, surveys, and web-usage data.