How effective psychological treatments work: mechanisms of change in cognitive behavioural therapy and beyond

Journal article

Background: Adolescence is a crucial transitional period marked by significant changes and increased vulnerability to mental health problems, including depression. Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between prosocial behavior and psychological difficulties with depressive symptoms in adolescents. Methods: A quantitative correlational study with a cross-sectional approach was conducted among 155 adolescents aged 12–18 from a public senior high school in Surakarta, Indonesia. Data were collected using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and analyzed using Spearman’s correlation. Results: There was a strong positive correlation between psychological difficulties and depressive symptoms (r=0.656, p<0.001), while prosocial behavior was also significantly associated but with a weaker correlation (r=0.168, p=0.037). Conclusion: Psychological difficulties are more strongly associated with depressive symptoms than prosocial behavior. These findings highlight the importance of interventions that address both risk factors and strengths

Authors: Salkovskis, PM; Sighvatsson, MB; Sigurdsson, JF

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Journal: Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy
• Volume: 51
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 595-615
• Publication date: 2024-01-05
• DOI: 10.1017/s1352465823000590
• EISSN: 1469-1833
• ISSN: 1352-4658
• Language: English
• Keywords: Pace; Psychological distress; Mental health; Cognitive behaviour therapy; Intervention (counseling); Psychiatry; Clinical psychology; Cognitive psychology; Flexibility (engineering); Mechanism (biology); Distress; Psychology; Cognition; Acceptance and commitment therapy; Cognitive therapy; Psychotherapist