SynthesisEuropean child & adolescent psychiatry2019
Behavioral activation for children and adolescents: a systematic review of progress and promise.
Synthesis in European child & adolescent psychiatry, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 53 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
53 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Is behavioural activation an effective treatment for depression in children and adolescents? An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2024Pooled it
- Behavioral Activation as an 'active ingredient' of interventions addressing depression and anxiety among young people: a systematic review and evidence synthesis.BMC psychology · 2021Pooled it
- Prevention programmes for children of parents with a mood/anxiety disorder: Systematic review of existing programmes and meta-analysis of their efficacy.The British journal of clinical psychology · 2021Pooled it
- Therapist-guided and self-guided internet-based behavioural activation versus treatment as usual for adolescents with depression: randomised controlled trial with economic evaluation.BMJ mental health · 2026Trial
- Behavioral Practice and Homework Completion as Predictors of Outcome in a Transdiagnostic Brief Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in Youth.Behavior therapy · 2026Trial
- Engagement, Acceptability, and Effectiveness of the Self-Care and Coach-Supported Versions of the Vira Digital Behavior Change Platform Among Young Adults at Risk for Depression and Obesity: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mental health · 2024Trial
- Barriers and enablers for young people, parents and therapists undertaking behavioural activation for depression: A qualitative evaluation within a randomised controlled trial.Psychology and psychotherapy · 2023Trial
- Trial
- Randomized Clinical Trial of an Internet-Based Adolescent Depression Prevention Intervention in Primary Care: Internalizing Symptom Outcomes.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Trial
- Effects of the Super Skills for Life Program on Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Clinical child and family psychology review · 2026Review
- Immediate Effects and Experiences of a Digital Single-Session Behavioural Activation Based Intervention for Adolescents: A Single Arm Pre-post Programme Evaluation of Project ABC in the UK.Clinical child psychology and psychiatry · 2026Article
- Effectiveness of a Mobile-Based Self-Regulation Training on Youths' Affect.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Reducing anxiety and depression in Chinese adolescents through group behavioral activation: a pilot study with school-based implementation.Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health · 2025Article
- Moderators of a mHealth Intervention for Adolescent Physical Activity: Intervention Refinement Study.JMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2025Article
- Article
- Psychological resilience and valued living as mediators in the relation between moral injury and attitudes toward future among Turkish adults.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- Community-based behavioural activation for depression in adolescents: feasibility study, survey and stakeholder consultations.Frontiers in child and adolescent psychiatry · 2025Article
- Article
- Family Support Protocol for Adolescent Internalizing Disorders: Protocol for a Pre-Post Quantitative Treatment Development Study.JMIR research protocols · 2024Article
- Behavioral and Social Activation in Autism and Associations with Youth Depressive Symptoms from Youth and Caregiver Perspectives.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Behavioral activation (BA) effectively treats depression in adults, and shows promise in treating anxiety. Research into its application to children and adolescents is emerging. This review aimed to explore the scope of studies, current evidence of effectiveness and how the intervention has been delivered and adapted, to inform future research. A systematic review was undertaken searching PsycInfo, PubMed including Medline, EMBASE, and Scopus for terms relating to BA and children and adolescents. Two researchers scored abstracts for inclusion. Data extraction was completed by one researcher and checked by another. 19 studies were identified, across 21 published articles. 12 were case studies, with three pre-post pilot designs and four randomized-controlled trials. Case studies found early support for the feasibility and potential effectiveness of BA to address both anxiety and depression. The RCTs reported largely positive outcomes. Meta-analysis of depression scores indicated that BA may be effective; however, high heterogeneity was observed. Sample sizes to date have been small. BA has been delivered by trained therapists, doctoral trainee psychologists, social workers, or psychology graduates. Studies are uniquely in high-income settings. Adaptations include flexibility in content delivery, youth friendly materials, and parental involvement. There is some limited evidence to support BA as effective for young people. Feasibility and acceptability are supported. Fully powered trials are now required, with expansion to delivery in low- and middle-income settings, and detailed consideration of implementation issues that consider culture and environment.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.