Development and Testing of a Behavioral Activation Mobile Therapy for Elevated Depressive Systems

BA is based in behavioral principles of depression that suggest that depression is caused by a lack of reinforcement in the environment for positive, non-depressed behaviors. As such, the goal of BA is to help the patient reengage in positive, non-depressed activities. In clinical trials, BA as a treatment component has been consistently superior to no treatment and treatment as usual control groups, and a large body of research has found that BA is either equally or more effective than CBT, CT, and antidepressant medications (Cuijpers, Van Straten, \& Warmerdam, 2007; Dimidjian et al., 2006; Jacobson et al., 1996).

CBT explores patterns of thinking that lead to self-destructive actions and the beliefs that direct these thoughts, people with mental illness can modify their patterns of thinking to improve coping

Individuals will be provided with one on one therapy sessions