I Just Want To Be Happy: the Effect of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on Adolescents with Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

Background: Suffering from depressive symptoms, such as negative cognitions, can occur at any age, but the chance increases during adolescence. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a form of treatment that is used in preventive interventions for depressive symptoms. Little is known about the effectiveness of specific CBT elements on depressive symptoms. Aim: This study was aimed at examining the effectiveness of four different CBT elements (cognitive restructuring, behavioural activation, relaxation and problem solving skills) on depressive symptoms. Second, it was examined whether a change in negative cognitions mediates the relationship between the elements and depressive symptoms. The sample consisted of 220 Dutch high-school students between 10 and 20 years of age with subclinical depressive symptoms. The current research was part of the longitudinal research by the Trimbos-Instituut. Results: An ANCOVA and a paired sample t-test were conducted to investigate if there was a significant effect of CBT elements on depressive symptoms. The results show that there was no significant relation between CBT and depressive symptoms and that there was no significant decrease in symptoms between the pre- and post-measurement. As no correlations were found between the variables in the model, the mediation analysis could not be executed. Conclusion: According to this study specific CBT elements are not effective in decreasing depressive symptoms. At last it can be concluded that negative cognitions is not a mediator between CBT and depressive symptoms. Further research is suggested since the effectiveness of CBT elements is important for future interventions for adolescents with depressive symptoms.