title: The use of cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of resistant depression in adolescents.
abstract: Major depressive disorder often begins in adolescence, is chronic and recurrent, and heightens an individual's risk for major depressive disorder in adulthood. Treatment-resistant depression is a problem for a significant minority of adolescents. Few studies have examined treatments for treatment-resistant depression among adolescents, and even fewer have examined the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy as a monotherapy or in combination with pharmacological treatments. Mental health professionals have a strong interest in understanding what treatments are appropriate for adolescents who are treatment resistant. Preliminary evidence from current published trials indicates that the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy in combination with antidepressant medication yields the best outcome for treatment-resistant depression in adolescents. Secondary analyses also suggest that the utility of cognitive behavioral therapy can be increased by ensuring adolescents receive a therapeutic dose of treatment sessions (more than nine sessions) and the inclusion of two treatment components: social skills and problem solving training. Guidelines for clinicians as well as areas for future research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamill-Skoch
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Ximena
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Prieto-Hicks
keywords: adolescent depression; cognitive behavior therapy; treatment-resistant depression