Treating adolescents experiencing depression - What aspects of CBT matter most?

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is recommended as a first-line treatment for moderate and
severe depression in adolescents (NICE, 2005). It is also recommended for persistent mild
depression that doesn’t respond to less intensive treatments such as supportive counselling,
group CBT, or guided self-help.

This research bulletin provides a review of recent evidence for the use of CBT with adolescents experiencing depression, with a particular focus on what components of CBT are important when working with this population (e.g., behavioural activation, cognitive restructuring, etc.). This is to assist clinicians who work with adolescents experiencing depression to understand how they may best cater the treatment to meet the needs of adolescents and to highlight potential innovations in the field.