How might this be different for teenagers?

For the purposes of the course, and in order to give a better sense of what a typical Brief BA session might look like, we’ve produced a short simulated video where we see how a young person rates her school and weekend activities in relation to ACE-I (Achievement, Closeness, Enjoyment and Importance). The video features Jeni Fisk, a Brief BA therapist, and a young person who is playing the role of depressed patient. Please note: The young person is played by an actor but based on real case examples.

Young people don’t always have a choice in how they spend their time (for example, they usually have to go to school or college, most can’t drive yet, or they aren’t allowed by parents or by law to do certain things). They also might have different activities that they’d like to fill their time with compared to adults.

However, it’s still important to figure out what a teenager is doing in terms of different activities, and what they get out of each activity. This is particularly crucial when considering they don’t have full control over how they spend their time. Taking note of what they choose and enjoy doing when they have the choice, is important.