Is Precision Treatment Possible for Depression?

Depression, a leading cause of disability worldwide, can be successfully treated by several evidence-based interventions. However, individual responses to these treatments vary significantly, and many individuals undergo multiple therapies before finding what works best for them. Precision treatment for depression aims to address these challenges by identifying effective treatments based on individual characteristics. In doing so, precision treatment has the potential to reduce trial-and-error prescribing, shorten the time to remission, and lower the global burden of depression. However, despite decades of research, precision treatment has yet to be fully realized for depression and its clinical utility remains limited. This article provides examples of recent and relevant attempts at identifying predictors of differential treatment response and raises some methodological, conceptual, and practical concerns of implementing precision treatment for depression. Future directions and clinical implications for advancing personalized approaches to depression treatment are also discussed.

Grantor dc:publisher

Canadian Psychological Association

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Authors dc:creator

• Rain, Sarina
• Dozois, David J. A.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Dozois, David J. A.

• precision medicine
• precision psychiatry
• personalized medicine
• personalized treatment
• depression

Statement dc:rights

• Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1037/cap0000452

OAI record oai:identifier

https://uwo.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=dim&identifier=oai%3Auwo.scholaris.ca%3A20.500.14721%2F38862