The development of an RDoC-based treatment program for adolescent depression: "Training for Awareness, Resilience, and Action" (TARA).
Eva Henje Blom, Larissa G Duncan, Tiffany C Ho, Colm G Connolly, Kaja Z LeWinn, Margaret A Chesney, Frederick M Hecht, Tony T. Yang
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience August 19, 2014 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00630 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Training for Awareness Resilience and Action (TARA) mindfulness-based therapy yoga |
| Duration | One session per week for 12 weeks |
| Topics | Meditation Depression |
| Keywords | Emotion regulation Adolescent depression Rdoc Treatment development Attention training Yoga-based movement |
| Key points | Proposes that TARA, a 12-week group treatment model for adolescent depression aligned with RDoC, prioritizes bottom-up strategies such as vagal afference over top-down cognitive control because the latter is developmentally limited in adolescence, and draws on mindfulness-based therapy, yoga, and modern psychotherapeutic techniques. The authors hope this work may form the basis for a novel and more effective treatment strategy. |
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the current leading causes of disability worldwide. Adolescence is a vulnerable period for the onset of depression, with MDD affecting 8-20% of all youth. Traditional treatment methods have not been sufficiently effective to slow the increasing prevalence of adolescent depression. We therefore propose a new model for the treatment of adolescent depression - Training for Awareness, Resilience, and Action (TARA) - that is based on current understanding of developmental and depression neurobiology. The TARA model is aligned with the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) of the National Institute of Mental Health. In this article, we first address the relevance of RDoC to adolescent depression. Second, we identify the major RDoC domains of function involved in adolescent depression and organize them in a way that gives priority to domains thought to be driving the psychopathology. Third, we select therapeutic training strategies for TARA based on current scientific evidence of efficacy for the prioritized domains of function in a manner that maximizes time, resources, and feasibility. The TARA model takes into consideration the developmental limitation in top-down cognitive control in adolescence and promotes bottom-up strategies such as vagal afference to decrease limbic hyperactivation and its secondary effects. The program has been informed by mindfulness-based therapy and yoga, as well as modern psychotherapeutic techniques. The treatment program is semi-manualized, progressive, and applied in a module-based approach designed for a group setting that is to be conducted one session per week for 12 weeks. We hope that this work may form the basis for a novel and more effective treatment strategy for adolescent depression, as well as broaden the discussion on how to address this challenge.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Psilocybin-assisted therapy of major depressive disorder using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a therapeutic frame | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Yale Manual for Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy of Depression (using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a Therapeutic Frame) | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Neuroinflammation and neuroprogression in depression: Effects of alternative drug treatments | 2022 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Improving cognitive functioning in major depressive disorder with psychedelics: A dimensional approach | 2021 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Yoga Therapy and Polyvagal Theory: The Convergence of Traditional Wisdom and Contemporary Neuroscience for Self-Regulation and Resilience Frontiers in Human Neuroscience February 27, 2018
- Gray Matter Changes in Adolescents Participating in a Meditation Training Frontiers in Human Neuroscience August 14, 2020
- Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Children with Mental Health Problems: a 2-Year Follow-up Randomized Controlled Study Mindfulness October 16, 2021
- Interoceptive brain network mechanisms of mindfulness-based training in healthy adolescents. Frontiers in Psychology 2024
- Clinical effectiveness of training for awareness, resilience, and action for adolescents and young adults with depression: The pilot phase of a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Psychiatry March 31, 2023
and 1 more in the library
Cites 12
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- Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2007
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of adolescent psychiatric outpatients: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2009
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for preventing relapse in recurrent depression: A randomized dismantling trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology December 3, 2013
- The Mindful Brain and Emotion Regulation in Mood Disorders The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry February 1, 2012
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