Potential Mediators of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for.pdfVIP

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Copyright 2005 by the American Psychological Association 2005, Vol. 73, No. 1, 38–46 0022-006X/05/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.73.1.38 Potential Mediators of Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents With Comorbid Major Depression and Conduct Disorder Noah K. Kaufman Paul Rohde, John R. Seeley, Gregory N. Clarke, Medico Psychological Services and Eric Stice Oregon Research Institute Several possible mediators of a group cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) for depressed adolescents were examined. Six measures specific to CBT (e.g., negative cognitions, engagement in pleasurable activities) and 2 nonspecific measures (therapeutic alliance, group cohesion) were examined in 93 adolescents with comorbid major depressive disorder and conduct disorder who were randomly assigned to the Adolescent Coping With Depression (CWD-A) course or a life skills control condition. Change on the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (S. D. Hollon P. C. Kendall, 1980) appeared to mediate treatment effects on depressive symptoms. Therapeutic alliance by the 3rd session was higher among the CWD-A participants but did not predict reductions in depressive symptoms. Findings suggest that