Study reveals that teen girls are at higher risk for depression relapse

By Staff Writer

A new study reveals that although most teenagers can recover from major depression, nearly half will have a recurrence of the condition. Researchers found that 96 percent of depressed teens recovered with treatment, but nearly half relapsed with another episode of major depression within five years, WebMD reports.

The study, which was published in the Archives of Adolescent Psychiatry, followed the progress of 86 male and 110 female adolescents. Participants were randomly assigned to receive the antidepressant fluoxetine (Prozac), cognitive behavioral therapy, a combination or placebo. After their initial 12-week treatment, the participants were followed for five years.

The results showed that the most effective depression treatment was a combination of fluoxetine and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Of the 189 participants who recovered, nearly half experienced a relapse of major depression within five years. Teenage girls were much more likely to have a recurrent episode, with 57 percent experiencing a relapse, compared to 33 percent of boys.

According to research conducted by PBS, major depression affects approximately 15 million American adults - or about 8 percent of the U.S. population - over the age of 18 in a given year.