Talking Therapies Less Effective for Young Adults,Study finds
While psychological therapies are beneficial for young people struggling with mental health,a new study published in The Lancet Psychiatry highlights the need for tailored services to maximize their impact. Researchers found that while NHS talking therapies are effective for young adults, they are demonstrably more successful for those of working age.
The study, led by Dr. Rob Saunders of UCL Psychology & Language Sciences,analyzed data from over 1.5 million individuals who received NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression between 2015 and 2019. This included over 300,000 people aged 16-24. These therapies encompass a range of approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), guided self-help, counselling, and interpersonal therapy.
The research team assessed changes in symptom severity using the Patient Health questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9) and the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale 7-item (GAD-7). Their analysis revealed that young adults experienced smaller improvements in their symptoms compared to those aged 25-65.
Specifically, 16-24 year olds were approximately 25% less likely to achieve what’s considered a reliable recovery following therapy, and 17% less likely to show reliable improvement. Researchers estimate that if the effectiveness of talking therapies for young adults matched that of older adults, over 20,000 more young people in England would have reliably recovered from their mental health challenges during the study period – roughly 5,000 each year.
“Rates of depression and anxiety are increasing among young adults, making it crucial to provide them with the best possible mental healthcare,” Dr. Saunders stated.
Professor Argyris Stringaris (UCL Psychiatry), the senior author, suggests several contributing factors. Young people may struggle to navigate services designed primarily for adults, leading to missed appointments or early termination of therapy. The transitional period of late adolescence and early adulthood, often marked by significant life changes and stress, can also hinder consistent engagement with treatment.”Working together with young people should help optimise the content of treatment and the ways in which it is delivered,” Professor Stringaris explained. He also emphasized the possibility that the underlying causes of depression and anxiety may differ between young people and adults, perhaps requiring distinct treatment approaches.”This is an area that requires a lot of new basic and clinical research.”
Source: University College London.
Journal Reference: Saunders, R., et al. (2025). Effectiveness of psychological interventions for young adults versus working age adults: a retrospective cohort study in a national psychological treatment program in England. The Lancet Psychiatry. doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(25)00207-X00207-X)
