Negative Thoughts, Depression and Teens
NIMH Science UpdateJune 09, 2009 Re-shaping Negative Thoughts Shields At-Risk Teens from Depression Cognitive Prevention Program Trumps Usual Care in “Real World” Trial At-risk teens exposed to a program that teaches them to counteract their unrealistic and overly negative thoughts experienced significantly less depression than their peers who received usual care, NIMH-funded researchers have found. However, the cognitive behavioral prevention program failed to similarly help adolescents prone to the mood disorder if their parents were currently depressed. NIMH grantee Judy Garber, Ph.D., of Vanderbilt University, and colleagues, report on the findings of their multi-site clinical trial in the June 3, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Background Only a fourth of depressed youth receive any treatment and at least 20 percent develop a chronic, difficult-to-treat form of the illness. Having a history of the illness substantially increases risk for depression