The Superiority of Combination Psychopharmacotherapy over Monotherapy in Treating Depressive Disorders in Adolescents — Presentation Detail — Celebration of Scholars

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The following points should be addressed within the selected format or style for the abstract:

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Additional Information

More information is available at carthage.edu/celebration-scholars/. The following are members of the Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Committee who are eager to listen to ideas and answer questions:

Jun Wang
Kim Instenes
John Kirk
Nora Nickels
Andrew Pustina
James Ripley

The Superiority of Combination Psychopharmacotherapy over Monotherapy in Treating Depressive Disorders in Adolescents

Name: Brian Konieczny
Major: Psychology and Neuroscience
Hometown: Schaumburg, IL
Faculty Sponsor:
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Senior thesis

Abstract

Depressive disorders are highly prevalent in adolescents, and there are multiple possible causes as well as treatment methods for them. The literature currently appears to support an interaction between a mutated gene for serotonin transporters and environmental stressors that causes depression in adolescents. Two main treatment options are available for adolescents: psychotherapies and pharmacotherapy. There are many different types of psychotherapies that can treat depression, but the two most prominent therapies are cognitive-behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy works to change faulty cognitions, and interpersonal psychotherapy works to improve interpersonal skills; both must be modified between adolescent and adult usage. Pharmacotherapy consists of drugs that target the serotonin transporter system, called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. While controversy exists about the possible unknown impacts on brain development, two SSRIs have been cleared by the FDA as safe for treatment of depression in adolescents and adults. Each treatment is effective, but a review of the literature over the past 15 years supports the claim that combination therapy of both psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy has been shown to be superior to either monotherapy. Therefore, combination therapy is recommended for the treatment of depressive disorders in most adolescents.

Poster file