Comparative efficacy of non-pharmacological therapies in adolescents with subthreshold depression: a systematic review and network meta-analysis - Summary - MDSpire
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Comparative efficacy of non-pharmacological therapies in adolescents with subthreshold depression: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
To compare the relative effectiveness of various non-pharmacological interventions for adolescent subthreshold depression (SD) using network meta-analysis.
Behavioral activation (BA) was the most effective intervention (SMD = -3.45, 95% CI: -4.89 to -2.02), followed by physical exercise intervention (PEI) (SMD = -1.34, 95% CI: -2.68 to -0.03) and light therapy (LT) (SMD = -1.24, 95% CI: -2.17 to -0.31).
Interpretation:
Non-pharmacological interventions are effective for adolescents with SD, with BA recommended as the first-line clinical option.
Limitations:
High heterogeneity across studies, which may affect the reliability of the findings.
Single-study evidence for some interventions (e.g., LT, PEI) limits the generalizability of results.
Broad age range of participants may introduce variability in treatment response.
Lack of long-term follow-up data restricts understanding of sustained effects.
Conclusion:
Further large-scale, multi-center RCTs are needed to validate these findings and guide clinical practice.
