Recommendations for research

Key recommendations for research

1 Psychological therapies for children aged 5 to 11 years with mild or moderate to severe depression

What is the clinical and cost effectiveness, post-treatment and at longer-term follow‑up, of psychological therapies in children aged 5 to 11 years with mild or moderate to severe depression? [2019]

For a short explanation of why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale on treatments for mild depression or moderate to severe depression.

Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review A: Psychological interventions for the treatment of depression.

2 Digital cognitive–behavioural therapy

What is the clinical and cost effectiveness, post-treatment and at longer-term follow‑up, of supported digital cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) compared with unsupported digital CBT in young people aged 12 to 18 years with mild depression, and what are the key components of the interventions that influence effectiveness? [2019]

For a short explanation of why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale on treatments for mild depression.

Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review A: Psychological interventions for the treatment of depression.

3 Family therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents and psychodynamic psychotherapy

What is the clinical and cost effectiveness, post-treatment and at longer-term follow‑up, of family therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy and interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT‑A) compared with each other and with individual CBT in young people aged 12 to 18 years with moderate to severe depression? [2019]

For a short explanation of why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale on treatments for moderate to severe depression.

Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review A: Psychological interventions for the treatment of depression.

4 Brief psychosocial intervention delivered by non-psychiatrists and in other settings

What is the clinical and cost effectiveness, post-treatment and at longer-term follow‑up, of a brief psychosocial intervention as reported by the IMPACT trial, but delivered by practitioners other than psychiatrists and in other settings, including primary care, to young people aged 12 to 18 years with mild or moderate to severe depression? [2019]

For a short explanation of why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale on moderate to severe depression.

Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review A: Psychological interventions for the treatment of depression.

5 Behavioural activation

What is the clinical and cost effectiveness, post treatment and at longer-term follow‑up, of behavioural activation compared with other psychological therapies in children aged 5 to 11 years and young people aged 12 to 18 years with mild or moderate to severe depression? [2019]

For a short explanation of why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale for treatments for mild depression or moderate to severe depression.

Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review A: Psychological interventions for the treatment of depression.

Other recommendations for research

Group mindfulness

What is the clinical and cost effectiveness, post treatment and at longer-term follow‑up, of group mindfulness compared with other psychological therapies in young people aged 12 to 18 years with mild depression? [2019]

Combination therapy (fluoxetine and psychological therapy)

An appropriately blinded, randomised controlled trial should be conducted to assess the efficacy (including measures of family and social functioning as well as depression) and the cost effectiveness of fluoxetine, psychological therapy, the combination of fluoxetine and psychological therapy compared with each other and placebo in a broadly based sample of children and young people diagnosed with moderate to severe depression (using minimal exclusion criteria).The trial should be powered to examine the effect of treatment in children and young people separately and involve a follow‑up of 12 to 18 months (but no less than 6 months). [2015]

Care pathway experience

A qualitative study should be conducted that examines the experiences in the care pathway of children and young people and their families (and perhaps professionals) in order to inform decisions about what the most appropriate care pathway should be. [2005]

Computer technology to assess mood and feelings

An appropriately designed study should be conducted to compare validated screening instruments for the detection of depression in children and young people. An emphasis should be placed on examining those that use computer technology and more child-friendly methods of assessing current mood and feelings, and take into account cultural and ethnic variations in communication, family values and the place of the child or young person within the family. [2005]

  • National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)