# Reducing anxiety symptoms in adolescents with pre-existing depression: results from a randomized control trial

## TL;DR

A therapy course for mild depression in teens also reduces anxiety by addressing depressive symptoms first.

## Contribution

The study shows that a CBT-based group intervention for depression also indirectly reduces anxiety in adolescents.

## Key findings

- The ACDC intervention reduced anxiety symptoms through a reduction in depressive symptoms.
- The effect of the intervention on anxiety was indirect and mediated by depression symptom reduction.
- The findings suggest ACDC could have long-term benefits for adolescents with co-occurring depression and anxiety.

## Abstract

Depression and anxiety have a long history of co-occurrence, with a relatively high prevalence in the Norwegian population both separate and combined. In adolescence, this prevalence increases significantly and may impact youths’ social and academic functioning drastically. Having effective treatments aimed at adolescents may have potential to prevent both short and long-term effects associated with these disorders. The aim of the current study was to examine whether the “Adolescent Coping with Depression Course” (ACDC), a cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)-based group intervention aimed at adolescents with subclinical mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms, would also be effective in reducing anxiety symptoms.

Data, which came from a two-arm parallel cluster randomised control trial conducted in Norway, were collected from 228 adolescents, 133 of whom were assigned to the 14-week ACDC intervention and 95 were assigned to the usual care condition. The data were analysed with structural equation modelling

The results indicated that the intervention is effective in reducing anxiety symptoms via reducing the depressive symptoms, thus illustrating an indirect effect.

The findings suggested that ACDC has the potential to reduce anxiety symptoms over time through its effect on depressive symptoms. Implications of the results are presented.

https://www.isrctn.com, identifier ISRCTN19700389.