News

CBT 'ineffective' in depressed adolescents on SSRIs

16-Sep-08

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is not effective for moderately to severely depressed adolescents who are being treated with SSRIs, a UK study has shown.

Adding CBT to SSRI treatment for adolescents had no impact on clinical outcomes, and was less cost-effective than SSRI treatment alone.

The study included 193 depressed adolescents who had not responded to an initial brief psychosocial intervention.

They were assigned to receive 12 weeks of treatment with the SSRI fluoxetine plus CBT and routine clinical care, or to fluoxetine and clinical care only.

Follow-up at six, 12 and 28 weeks found no difference in recovery rates between the two groups, but treatment with fluoxetine plus CBT was more expensive.

GPletters@haymarket.com

Health Technology Assessment website

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Comments

Ingrid Collins

16/09/2008

I would have welclomed extra groups added to that research, eg: one group receiving only CBT plus clinical care, and one group receiving sessions of bioresonance or some other complementary treatment with a proven track record plus clinical care. I would also welcome information on who was funding the research and who carried it out.

Rupen Kulkarni

17/09/2008

Bioresonance has no real evidence-based track record in actual chronic physical disease let alone diseases of the mind. I wonder how much of a help that would be in a very difficult area of Depression in adolescents. Antidepressants have been known to help in the short term with very little long term difference in end points in adults. At least this tells us that CBT may not work as well in adolescents and we have to look at other means. Logic tells you that drugs and some form of focused activity are likely to be more effective in this group.

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