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“This is a well-executed text which carefully and clearly explicates the A-BAP program and provides a well-laid out, reproducible treatment protocol. This text would be a valuable asset to any clinic that works with depressed teens or to any practitioner that wishes to become more educated regarding behavioral activation as it applies to the adolescent population. This book would be valuable to any graduate mental health education program where there is a focus on treatment and the provision of empirically supported treatment protocols.”

—Child and Family Behavior Therapy


“There are copious good-quality A4 handouts for adolescents and their parents to support each module (these are also available online for downloading and printing if you have bought the book). It was especially lovely to see a warm acknowledgement of the diversity of families and parenting arrangements. I could not fault this book. I am glad to have it to hand on my bookshelf and would gladly recommend it to both newly qualified and experienced therapists.”

—BACP Children and Young People


“This marvelous volume provides thoughtful guidance for adapting BA—one of the most promising therapies for depression to enter the field in the last two decades—to the treatment of adolescents. The book combines a rich theoretical overview and a straightforward approach to implementation. Developmentally sophisticated and clinically instructive, it should prove to be a most valuable addition to the clinical literature.”

—Steven D. Hollon, PhD, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of Psychology, Vanderbilt University


“BA is an effective evidence-based treatment for depression, with comparable effects to more complex cognitive-behavioral protocols. This clinical guide is based on the authors' broad experience and research. Combining scientific findings with practical guidelines for conducting BA with adolescents, this is an essential resource.”

—Pim Cuijpers, PhD, Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands


“This book should be on the shelf of all clinicians who work with mood-disordered adolescents, from entry-level therapists to advanced practitioners. BA has been shown to be an effective treatment for adult depression, but until now, there has not been a developmentally appropriate adaption that clinicians could readily utilize. McCauley and colleagues present a clear, step-by-step approach that is grounded in theory, research, and extensive clinical experience. The book is designed to teach clinicians how to help their clients experience more rewarding lives; those who read it will be rewarded as well.”

—David A. Brent, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Endowed Chair in Suicide Studies, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine


“This outstanding clinician's guide provides a cogent rationale for the treatment model and step-by-step instructions on how to structure the sessions, which techniques to use when, and ways to address common treatment challenges. The detailed reproducible handouts are invaluable for both new and experienced clinicians. Case vignettes enable the reader to visualize the course of treatment for a diverse set of problems associated with depression in adolescents. This is an excellent text for students in clinical, counseling, and school psychology. It should be a mandatory addition to any clinician’s library of empirically supported treatments for adolescents.”

—Laura H. Mufson, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institute

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Table of Contents

1. Depression and Behavioral Activation with Adolescents

2. Assessment, Case Conceptualization, and Treatment Planning

3. How to Use the A-BAP Session Guides

4. Management of Treatment Challenges within the A-BAP Approach

5. Applications of Behavioral Activation with Other Clinical Samples/Situations

A-BAP Treatment Sessions

Module 1. Getting Started

Module 2. Getting Active

Module 3. Skill Building

Module 4. Practice

Module 5. Moving Forward

Reproducible Handouts

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About the Authors

Elizabeth McCauley, PhD, ABPP, is Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington (UW), with adjunct appointments in Psychology and Pediatrics, and Director of the Mood and Anxiety Program at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Her clinical and research work focuses on the development and treatment of depression and suicidality in young people. She has developed and tested a number of prevention and intervention strategies, including leading a project funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health to test the efficacy of behavioral activation (BA) as a treatment for adolescent depression. Dr. McCauley is a past president of the Society for Child and Adolescent Psychology.

Kelly A. Schloredt, PhD, ABPP, is Attending Clinical Psychologist in Child Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Director of the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Unit at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and is Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UW. Dr. Schloredt is actively engaged in professional activities including management and administration, teaching, patient care, and supervision and training. She was a research therapist on the Adolescent BA Program study led by Elizabeth McCauley.

Gretchen R. Gudmundsen, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UW and Attending Clinical Psychologist in Child Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Seattle Children's Hospital. She has published numerous articles on the treatment of depression and the role of stress and coping in depressive disorders. Dr. Gudmundsen provides direct outpatient care in addition to conducting supervision and training. She has been a research therapist on several projects on the treatment of adolescent mood disorders and was awarded a Klingenstein Third Generation Fellowship for Child and Adolescent Depression.

Christopher R. Martell, PhD, ABPP, is the Director of the Psychological Services Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is also a Lecturer. He maintained an independent practice for 23 years, providing cognitive-behavioral therapy to clients with mood and anxiety disorders. Dr. Martell conducts workshops and trainings on behavioral activation (BA) nationally and internationally and has consulted on research teams examining BA around the world. His books include Behavioral Activation for Depression: A Clinician's Guide (coauthored with Sona Dimidjian and Ruth Herman-Dunn). He is a recipient of honors including the Distinguished Psychologist Award from the Washington State Psychological Association.

• All titles by Christopher R. Martell

Sona Dimidjian, PhD, a clinical psychologist, is Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder. She is a widely recognized expert on women’s mental health; the clinical application of contemplative practices, such as mindfulness meditation; and cognitive and behavioral approaches. She has developed successful prevention and treatment programs to promote well-being among women, including during pregnancy and early parenting. Dr. Dimidjian is a recipient of multiple awards and the author of widely cited scholarly papers. She is coauthor of the self-help resource Expecting Mindfully as well as Behavioral Activation for Depression and Behavioral Activation with Adolescents (for mental health professionals).

• Author's website
• All titles by Sona Dimidjian

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Audience

Clinical child/adolescent psychologists, school psychologists, counselors, social workers, and psychiatrists.

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Course Use

May serve as a supplemental text in graduate-level courses.