A Brief Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression

Abstract

The brief behavioral activation treatment for depression is a simple, cost-effective method for treating depression. Based on basic behavioral theory and recent evidence that the behavioral component may be the active mechanism of change in cognitive-behavioral treatments of clinical depression, the authors designed a treatment to systematically increase exposure to positive activities, and thereby improve affect and corresponding cognitions. This article describes the rationale for the treatment and provides the treatment in manual form to be utilized by patients in therapy.