Reaffirmation of Behavioral Approaches to Depression Treatment

This meta-analytic review improved on the methods and scope of similar reviews but reached the same conclusion that behavioral activation (BA) therapies for adult depression are much more effective than control conditions and comparable with cognitive-behavioral interventions. Future research should strengthen our understanding of the mechanisms that account for the effectiveness of BA approaches and should provide more evidence on long-term maintenance. The resurgence of interest in BA was attributed to pioneering work of Lewinsohn and the components analysis research of Jacobson and colleagues, who demonstrated the effectiveness of behavioral elements of depression treatment relative to cognitive elements.