Is cognitive behavioural therapy an effective complement to antidepressants in adolescents? A meta-analysis.
Calati R, Pedrini L, Alighieri S, Alvarez MI, Desideri L, Durante D, Favero F, Iero L, Magnani G, Pericoli V, Polmonari A, Raggini R, Raimondi E, Riboni V, Scaduto MC, Serretti A, De Girolamo G. Is cognitive behavioural therapy an effective complement to antidepressants in adolescents? A meta-analysis.


OBJECTIVE
Evidence on effectiveness of combined treatments versus antidepressants alone in adolescents consists on a few studies in both major depressive and anxiety disorders. A meta-analysis of randomised 12-week follow-up studies in which antidepressant treatment was compared to combined treatment consisting of the same antidepressant with cognitive behavioural therapy has been performed.


METHODS
Data were entered into the Cochrane Collaboration Review Manager software and were analysed within a random effect framework. A quality assessment has been performed through Jadad Scale.


RESULTS
Higher global functioning at the Children's Global Assessment Scale was found in the combined treatment group (p < 0.0001) as well as higher improvement at the Clinical Global Impressions Improvement Scale (p = 0.04). No benefit of combined treatment was found on depressive symptomatology at the Children's Depression Rating Scale - Revised.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined treatment seems to be more effective than antidepressant alone on global functioning and general improvement in adolescents with major depressive and anxiety disorders.
Institute of Psychiatry, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Raffaella
R
Calati
IRCCS Centro S. Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.
Laura
L
Pedrini
N.P.E.E., Rimini AUSL, Rimini, Italy.
Sara
S
Alighieri
Children and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Reggio Emilia AUSL, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Mariela Ivana
MI
Alvarez
Department of Mental Health, Children and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, AUSL Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Lorenzo
L
Desideri
N.P.E.E., Parma AUSL, Parma, Italy.
Daniele
D
Durante
Children and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Modena AUSL, Sassuolo, Italy.
Federica
F
Favero
Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Luisa
L
Iero
Department of Mental Health, Children and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, AUSL Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Giulia
G
Magnani
Children and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Ravenna AUSL, Ravenna, Italy.
Valentina
V
Pericoli
Children and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Ferrara AUSL, Ferrara, Italy.
Alexia
A
Polmonari
Children and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, AUSL Forlì, Forlì, Italy.
Roberta
R
Raggini
Department of Mental Health, Children and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, AUSL Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Elena
E
Raimondi
Children and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Piacenza AUSL, Piacenza, Italy.
Valentina
V
Riboni
Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Maria Cristina
MC
Scaduto
Institute of Psychiatry, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Alessandro
A
Serretti
IRCCS Centro S. Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.
Giovanni
G
De Girolamo