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Behavioral Activation (BA)

Behavioral activation (BA) is both a component of cognitive behavioral therapy and a treatment by itself.1 It focuses on the way events in a patient’s life can contribute to their mental illness and how the patient responds to those events.2 BA helps the patient to address the inactivity, withdrawal, and inertia that are associated with depressive disorders and work toward learning more positive patterns of behavior.2 It also helps with restoring disrupted routines related to daily functioning, such as eating and sleeping.2 While a full treatment course of BA consists of 20 to 24 sessions, an abbreviated version with 8 to 15 sessions is available.3
Description: Behavioral activation (BA) is both a component of cognitive behavioral therapy and a treatment by itself.1 It focuses on the way events in a patient’s life can contribute to their mental illness and how the patient responds to those events.2 BA helps the patient to address the inactivity, withdrawal, and inertia that are associated with depressive disorders and work toward learning more positive patterns of behavior.2 It also helps with restoring disrupted routines related to daily functioning, such as eating and sleeping.2 While a full treatment course of BA consists of 20 to 24 sessions, an abbreviated version with 8 to 15 sessions is available.3
Potentially effective for the following mental health concerns: Depressive disorders
Potentially effective in the following age groups: Adult, Geriatric
Treatment setting options: Individual, Group
Treatment format options: In-person, Telephone, Online
Typical treatment duration: < 10 sessions, 10-20 sessions, 20+ sessions
Potential limitations: BA has few limitations, and it has been shown to be effective, low-cost, and easy to implement by inexperienced providers.5,6

Footnotes:

Supporting references for the filters are as follows: Potentially effective for the following mental health concerns: Depressive disorders1,4; Potentially effective in the following age groups: Adult,4 Geriatric5; Treatment setting options: Individual,2 Group5; Treatment format options: In-person,5 Telephone,4 Online4,5; Typical treatment duration: < 10 sessions,3 10–20 sessions,3 20+ sessions3
 

This resource is intended for educational purposes only and is intended for US healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals should use independent medical judgment. All decisions regarding patient care must be handled by a healthcare professional and be made based on the unique needs of each patient. 
 

ABBV-US-01622-MC, Version 1.0
Approved 05/2024
AbbVie Medical Affairs 

References:

  1. Dobson KS, Hollon SD, Dimidjian S, et al. Randomized trial of behavioral activation, cognitive therapy, and antidepressant medication in the prevention of relapse and recurrence in major depression. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2008;76(3):468-477. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.76.3.468 
  2. Jacobson NS, Martell CR, Dimidjian S. Behavioral activation treatment for depression: returning to contextual roots. Clin Psychol. 2001;8(3):255-270. doi:10.1093/clipsy.8.3.255 
  3. Hershenberg R, Goldstein S. Treatment: behavioral activation for depression. Diagnosis: depression. Society of Clinical Psychology. 2015. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://www.div12.org/treatment/behavioral-activation-for-depression/ 
  4. Parikh SV, Quilty LC, Ravitz P, et al. Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) 2016 clinical guidelines for the management of adults with major depressive disorder: section 2. Psychological treatments. Can J Psychiatry. 2016;61(9):524-539. doi:10.1177/0706743716659418 
  5. Ekers D, Webster L, Van Straten A, Cuijpers P, Richards D, Gilbody S. Behavioural activation for depression; an update of meta-analysis of effectiveness and sub group analysis. PLoS One. 2014;9(6):e100100. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0100100 
  6. Richards DA, Ekers D, McMillan D, et al. Cost and outcome of behavioural activation versus cognitive behavioural therapy for depression (COBRA): a randomised, controlled, non-inferiority trial. Lancet. 2016;388(10047):871-880. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31140-0 

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