An Adaptive Algorithm-Based Approach to Treatment for Adolescent Depression

IPT-A is an evidence-based intervention that aims to decrease depressive symptoms by helping adolescents improve their relationships and interpersonal interactions. It addresses one or more of four interpersonal problem areas: grief, role disputes, role transitions, and interpersonal deficits. The primary treatment techniques in IPT-A include emotion identification/expression, linking interpersonal events to mood, communication analysis, communication skill building, decision analysis, role playing, and assignment of interpersonal experiments (i.e. homework). In clinical trials, depressed adolescents treated with IPT-A demonstrated fewer depressive symptoms and better psychosocial functioning post-treatment than adolescents in control conditions.

Fluoxetine, escitalopram, citalopram, fluvoxamine, or sertraline

Therapists will implement therapy procedures that they usually use and believe to be effective in clinical practice. Therapists will use whatever methods they usually use to make decisions regarding the frequency of therapy sessions and whether to refer the adolescent to start an SSRI