CYP : Brief behavioural activation for adolescent depression
What is CYP: Brief BA ?
Children and Young People: Brief Behavioural Activation (CYP: Brief BA) is an evidence-based intervention which aims to reduce low mood or depression symptoms in young people aged 12 to 18 years (Pass & Reynolds, 2020). This intervention focuses on helping young people develop different patterns of behaviour undertaking valued activities every day to help them break out of a vicious cycle to start to feel better and to increase self-esteem and well-being.
CYP: Brief BA is delivered by a trained practitioner over six to eight, 1- hour sessions in a one-to-one format with a review one month after completion of session 8.
NES Psychology has established a wide roll-out of this evidence-based intervention. CYP: Brief BA was identified as being particularly appropriate as a response to the negative impact of loss of valued activity on young people’s mental health due to the COVID pandemic. The intervention is offered through five training routes, namely, (1) one year development plan for new clinicians in CAMHS, (2) Enhanced Psychological Practice – Children and Young People Programme (EPP-CYP), (3) MSc Applied Psychology for Children and Young People, (4) Training in Psychological Skills- Early Intervention for Children (TIPS-EIC) and (5) NHS Scotland CAMHS Services.
Once trained, practitioners are supported through a network of coaches and trainers. This network also provides an opportunity for services to learn from each other about the innovative ways that CYP: Brief BA has been implemented across Scotland.
Further details of the intervention can be found in the early intervention framework https://earlyinterventionframework.nhs.scot/programmes/brief-behavioural-activation-for-adolescent-depression-brief-ba/.
What is Depression?
Depression is more common than you might think, it can affect any one of us and can be a result of many different things. Depression can impact how we think, feel and behave. As a result of depression many people report feeling irritable, tired and not enjoying things like they used to. Often people think quite negatively about themselves and about activities they used to enjoy
This is a vicious cycle of low mood; you feel low, so you do less of what matters to you, but because of this you get less of the 'feel good factor' from life, and so feel even more low. Just doing more of what matters can have an enormous impact on our mood:
1) Feel better about ourselves
2) Feel less tired
3) Motivate us to do more
4) Help us to think more clearly
5) Give us a sense of achievement
6) Increase motivation
How can CYP: Brief BA help?
CYP: Brief BA is an evidence-based intervention that is used to treat the symptoms of depression. It is based on the idea that by doing more of certain kinds of activities, people can feel better and break out of the vicious cycle of depression.
CYP:Brief BA guides young people to select activities from the following categories:
Achievement
Did you get something out of the activity ?
Closeness
Did the activity make you feel close to anyone?
Enjoyable
Did you enjoy the activity?
Important
Was the activity important to you?
More Information
For more information about this NHS Education for Scotland (NES) CYP: Brief BA training and coaching offer, please contact your local TIPS-EIC department or for CAMHS Scotland staff contact your local CAMHS Learning co-ordinator or NES Psychology.
| Board | |
|---|---|
| NHS Education for Scotland (NES) | psychology@nes.scot.nhs.uk |
CYP: Brief BA training Resources
For trainers and coaches of Brief BA:
Trainer resources: behavioural activation for children and young people | Turas | Learn (nhs.scot)
For clinicians trained to deliver Brief BA: