Does Effectiveness of Psychotherapy for Depression Vary with Age?

Whether different age groups experience different levels of symptomatic improvement with psychotherapy has been little studied. Researchers examined this question in a systematic review and meta-analysis of 366 randomized comparisons of psychotherapy (usually cognitive-behavioral therapy) with a control condition (e.g., waiting list) involving 36,702 depressed patients — children, adolescents, young adults, middle-aged adults, older adults, and older old adults.

The overall effect size of psychotherapy across age groups was medium to high, although study methodologies showed substantial heterogeneity. Effect sizes were lowest in children (small-to-medium effect size) and adolescents (medium effect size). Effect sizes were high in early adult…