Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 23, 2026
08:42
Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression
Published on: May 19, 2015
11.3K
A randomized controlled trial comparing two cognitive-behavioral programs for adolescent girls with subclinical
Marlou Poppelaars1, Yuli R Tak1, Anna Lichtwarck-Aschoff1
1Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Behaviour Research and Therapy
|March 29, 2016
Summary
Both school-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and computerized CBT programs effectively reduced depressive symptoms in adolescents. However, no significant differences were found between the intervention groups and the monitoring control group.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent mental health
- Clinical psychology
- Preventive interventions
Background:
- Limited research exists on the effectiveness of school-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and computerized CBT programs for adolescent depression.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a recognized approach for managing depressive symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the school-based 'Op Volle Kracht' (OVK) program and the computerized 'SPARX' program in reducing depressive symptoms among Dutch female adolescents.
- To compare the efficacy of OVK, SPARX, and a combined intervention against a monitoring control group.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 208 Dutch female adolescents (mean age 13.35) with elevated depressive symptoms.
- Participants were assigned to four conditions: OVK only, SPARX only, OVK and SPARX combined, or a monitoring control.
- Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline, weekly during intervention, post-intervention, and at 3, 6, and 12-month follow-ups.
Main Results:
- Depressive symptoms decreased significantly across all four conditions, including the monitoring control group (p < .001).
- No statistically significant differences in the reduction of depressive symptoms were observed between the OVK, SPARX, combined intervention, and control groups.
- This suggests that all interventions, including monitoring alone, were equally effective in alleviating depressive symptoms in this cohort.
Conclusions:
- Both school-based and computerized CBT interventions, as well as their combination, did not demonstrate superior effectiveness over a monitoring control condition in reducing depressive symptoms in Dutch female adolescents.
- The study highlights the need for further investigation into the factors contributing to symptom reduction across all conditions and the potential for non-specific effects.
- Future research should explore mechanisms of change and optimize interventions for adolescent depression.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Cognitive Therapy
1.4K
Cognitive therapy, pioneered by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s, is a structured approach to addressing psychological distress by focusing on the influence of thoughts on emotions and behaviors. All cognitive therapies involve the basic assumption that human beings have control over their feelings, and that how individuals feel about something depends on how they think about it. Unlike psychoanalytic methods that delve into unconscious processes or humanistic approaches emphasizing...
1.4K
01:24Treatment Strategies for Psychological Disorders
894
Treatment approaches for psychological disorders fall into three main categories: psychological, biological, and sociocultural. Each approach targets different aspects of mental health, requiring varying levels of education and training.
Psychological therapies focus on modifying emotions, thoughts, and behaviors through talking, interpreting, listening, rewarding, challenging, and modeling. Clinical psychologists, counselors, and social workers commonly practice psychotherapy. Clinical...
Psychological therapies focus on modifying emotions, thoughts, and behaviors through talking, interpreting, listening, rewarding, challenging, and modeling. Clinical psychologists, counselors, and social workers commonly practice psychotherapy. Clinical...
894
01:24Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
631
Cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBTs) are grounded in the belief that our thoughts profoundly influence our emotions and actions. Advocates of CBT emphasize three core assumptions: first, that cognitions are identifiable and measurable; second, that they are central to psychological functioning; and third, that irrational or maladaptive beliefs can be replaced with rational and adaptive ones. This transformative approach to therapy has paved the way for specific models such as Albert...
631