A. Sauteraud et al., COGNITIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR DEPRESSION IN THE ADOLESCENT - A NEW THERAPEUTIC PERSPECTIVE, La Presse medicale, 24(18), 1995, pp. 849-852
The nosological concept of depression in adolescents is still relative
ly poorly understood. Clinical expression varies greatly although beha
vioural disorders and suicidal acts are frequent signs. As an alternat
ive to drug therapy, cognitive psychotherapy appears to be a promising
approach offering a structured therapeutic tool applicable within a s
hort period of time. We report the case of a 18-year-old girl who suff
ered from chronic depression and had attempted suicide several times i
n spite of previous hospitalization and psychoanalytic therapy. She wa
s successfully treated with 16 sessions of cognitive psychotherapy con
ducted according to the Beck method in combination with fluvoxamine wh
ich had been insufficient given alone. The different phases of the the
rapeutic approach are discussed during hospitalization then as an out
patient. Cognitive psychotherapy is technically feasable treatment for
depression in the adolescent and has been demonstrated to be effectiv
e in our case.