| dc.description.abstract | Abstract: One in five adolescents will (have) suffer(ed) from depressive symptoms. Usually cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is advised since it has been proven to diminish depressive symptoms. CBT consists of separate elements (cognitive restructuring (CH), behavioral activation (GA), problem-solving skills (PO) and relaxation (OO)), but little is known about the order in which the elements should be offered. The goal of this study is to discover whether the order of the elements in CBT matter for the effectiveness and especially what the most effective timing of CH would be. Additionally, the influence of sex will be taken into account as well. Eventually, 145 participants with subclinical symptoms of depression participated in CBT training, divided over 4 conditions with different orders of elements: Condition 1: CH, GA, OO, PV; Condition 2: GA, CH, OO, PV; Condition 3: PV, GA, CH, OO; Condition 4: OO, PV, GA, CH. Their symptoms were measured before and after the training. There were no significant differences between the conditions: the order of elements therefor do not seem to matter and neither does the timing of cognitive restructuring. Sex turned out not to be a moderator, which shows that sex does not have an effect on the relations between the order and the effectiveness. Future research is needed to gain more insight on the effect of the order of elements, so actual reliable facts can be stated about the order of CBT elements. | |
