Risk Factors for Depression in Adolescents with ADHD (1 CE)

Number of Credits: 1

This course is for: Clinical Psychologists, Counselors, MFTs and School Psychologists

Course By: Ken Springer, PhD

Content By:  Shapero, B. G., Gibb, B. E., Archibald, A., Wilens, T. E., Fava, M., & Hirshfeld-Becker, D. R. (2021). Risk factors for depression in adolescents with ADHD: The impact of cognitive biases and stress. Journal of Attention Disorders, 25(3), 340-354.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054718797447

Course Description:  Adolescents with ADHD experience a high incidence of depression, but the role of cognitive risk factors for depression within this population is not fully understood. The present study examined whether the vulnerability-stress model (i.e., the idea that cognitive biases strengthen the impact of stress on depression) applies specifically to adolescents with ADHD. Based on responses to self-report questionnaires, adolescents with versus without ADHD were compared. The researchers found that adolescents with ADHD experienced more stressful life events than their peers, and that stress levels were predictive of depressive symptoms. Adolescents in both groups with negative interpretation biases experienced more depressive symptoms as their stress levels increased. At the same time, only adolescents with ADHD who exhibited attentional biases experienced a stronger link between depression and stress. The results have implications for depression-focused prevention and intervention strategies that aim to reduce cognitive biases among adolescents with ADHD. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the vulnerability-stress model and the relationships it predicts among stressful life events, cognitive biases, and depression
2. Describe the main findings of the study with respect to the relationship between stressful life events and depression among adolescents with ADHD, as well as how this relationship is influenced by interpretive and attentional biases
3. Integrate the strengths and limitations of the study, and summarize the clinical implications for supporting adolescents with ADHD

Course Outline:

• Read and understand Risk factors for depression in adolescents with ADHD: The impact of cognitive biases and stress
• Review the Course Description and Learning Objectives
• Analyze the vulnerability-stress model and how it is expected to apply to adolescents with ADHD
• Integrate the study's key findings, strengths, limitations, and clinical implications
• Work through the post-test questions, using the article as the sole basis for your answers
• Revisit the article for any missed questions and/or to better understand how the relationship between stressful life events and depression in adolescents with ADHD is influenced by cognitive biases

Approvals: