PILOT-STUDY OF CONTINUATION COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY FOR MAJOR DEPRESSION IN ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENTS

Objective: To determine whether continuation of cognitive-behavioral t herapy (CBT-C) could prevent relapse in adolescent psychiatric patient s who had remitted from major depressive disorder (MDD). Method: Seven teen patients who continued to have CBT-C for 6 months after remission from MDD were compared with a historical control group of 12 cases wh o had no further treatment after remission. Results: Only 1 of the 17 cases who continued with CBT-C dropped out. The cumulative relapse ris k during CBT-C was significantly lower (0.2) than it had been in the h istorical control group (0.5). Conclusions: CBT-C warrants further inv estigation in a randomized, controlled trial.