A meta-analysis of psychotherapy for depression in children and adolescents found that the mean effect size (ES) was 0.34, significantly lower than previous estimates and not superior to the mean ES for other conditions. Cognitive treatments, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, were no better than non-cognitive approaches. Effects showed generalization to anxiety but not to externalizing problems, and were short-term but not long-term. Youth depression treatments produced significant but modest effects in strength, breadth, and durability. The study included 35 studies, with 20 using passive control groups and 15 using active control groups. Cognitive treatments did not show significantly better results than non-cognitive treatments. The study also examined clinical representativeness, finding that treatment effects were similar across clinically referred and recruited youths, and across therapists and settings. Secondary analyses showed that ES varied by youth age, gender, diagnosis, treatment modality, duration, and study attrition rates, but overall, effects were modest. The study concluded that psychotherapy for youth depression is effective but not highly effective compared to other conditions.A meta-analysis of psychotherapy for depression in children and adolescents found that the mean effect size (ES) was 0.34, significantly lower than previous estimates and not superior to the mean ES for other conditions. Cognitive treatments, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, were no better than non-cognitive approaches. Effects showed generalization to anxiety but not to externalizing problems, and were short-term but not long-term. Youth depression treatments produced significant but modest effects in strength, breadth, and durability. The study included 35 studies, with 20 using passive control groups and 15 using active control groups. Cognitive treatments did not show significantly better results than non-cognitive treatments. The study also examined clinical representativeness, finding that treatment effects were similar across clinically referred and recruited youths, and across therapists and settings. Secondary analyses showed that ES varied by youth age, gender, diagnosis, treatment modality, duration, and study attrition rates, but overall, effects were modest. The study concluded that psychotherapy for youth depression is effective but not highly effective compared to other conditions.