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This paper describes the current findings concerning efficacy from randomized controlled trials of family-based interventions for children and adolescents with anxiety and depressive disorders. To date, parents have only been included in controlled trials of cognitive-behavioral interventions. Efficacy trials for anxiety disorders have only been carried out in 6- to 14-year olds, but have shown that younger children (7 to 10 years old) benefited when the family was involved. By contrast, the existing efficacy trials for depressive disorders have been limited to adolescents (13 to 18 years old), and have shown that family-based interventions are not superior to pure adolescent therapy

An outline of evidence-based guidelines for the assessment and treatment of depressive disorders in childhood and adolescence is presented. Depressive disorders in children and adolescents are marked by core symptoms similar to those seen in adults, although symptom expression varies greatly with developmental stage. These disorders are common, especially in adolescence, chronic, and recurrent, and are associated with comorbid conditions such as anxiety disorders, conduct disorders, and substance use disorders. Effective treatment approaches for the prevention of depressive disorders and the acute treatment of mild and moderate depressive disorders are available. The psychotherapeutic interventions of choice are currently cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT). The antidepressants of choice are currently selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). Especially on relapse prevention and the evaluation of the combination of psychotherapy with antidepressant medication further studies are necessary