Costs for Treatment of Adolescent Depression

The combination of certain medications and CBT is not more cost-effective than those medications alone, study concludes.

Monday December 10th - 2:11pm

Research from The Royal College of Physicians in England suggests that Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) together are no more effective in treating adolescent depression than are SSRIs alone.

Given the high prevalence of depression in teens with ADHD, this study has implications for physicians and parents treating such adolescents. While the combination of CBT and SSRIs was only slightly more expensive than SSRIs alone, there were no differences in treatment outcomes between those teens who used both interventions and those who only took medication. Thus, the study suggests that medication may be the most cost-effective way to help adolescents suffering from depression.
