Date of Defense

4-22-2022

Date of Graduation

4-2022

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Brooke Smith

Second Advisor

Thomas Fisher

Third Advisor

Katarina Rotta

Keywords

behavioral activation, major depressive disorder, values

Abstract

Major depressive disorder is one of the most prevalent psychological disorders within the global population and has been for many years. Over the years, numerous interventions have been developed to treat major depressive disorder, including cognitive-behavioral therapy. One form of cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression, known as behavioral activation, focuses on increasing contact with pleasant activities that are reinforcing. Many modifications of behavioral activation have been made over the years, including the version Martell and colleagues (2010) created which modified the traditional approach by decreasing the number of sessions. This new approach, known as brief behavioral activation, also asks clients to clarify their values and then schedule activities in line with these values. The present paper reviews the existing literature on behavioral activation with and without a values component. The literature suggests that behavioral activation with a values component was as successful at reducing depressive symptoms as traditional behavioral activation, often with larger effect sizes overall than traditional behavioral activation.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

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