Evidence-Based Psychosocial Treatments for Child and Adolescent Depression

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Abstract
The evidence-base of psychosocial treatment outcome studies for depressed youth conducted since 1998 is examined. All studies for depressed children meet Nathan and Gorman's ( 2002 Nagayama-Hall , G. , & Okazaki , S. ( 2002 ). Asian American psychology: The science of lives in context . Washington , DC : American Psychological Association . [Google Scholar] ) criteria for Type 2 studies whereas the adolescent protocols meet criteria for both Type 1 and Type 2 studies. Based on the Task Force on the Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures guidelines, the cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) based specific programs of Penn Prevention Program, Self-Control Therapy, and Coping with Depression-Adolescent are probably efficacious. Interpersonal Therapy–Adolescent, which falls under the theoretical category of interpersonal therapy (IPT), also is a probably efficacious treatment. CBT provided through the modalities of child group only and child group plus parent components are well-established intervention approaches for depressed children. For adolescents, two modalities are well-established (CBT adolescent only group, IPT individual), and three are probably efficacious (CBT adolescent group plus parent component, CBT individual, CBT individual plus parent/family component). From the broad theoretical level, CBT has well-established efficacy and behavior therapy meets criteria for a probably efficacious intervention for childhood depression. For adolescent depression, both CBT and IPT have well-established efficacy. Future research directions and best practices are offered.

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