Participants with depression were treated with escitalopram(ranging from 5mg to 30mg) for 8 weeks. Escitalopram was initiated at 5mg for 1 week, followed by an increase to 10mg at week 2. After week 2, doses of escitalopram were titrated according to symptoms and adverse effects. Specific, indicated psychotherapy for depression was not allowed during the study.

The Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R) is a clinician-rated scale to measure the severity of depression of children and adolescents. The CDRS-R consists of 17 items. Depression symptoms are rated on a 5-point scale from 1 to 5 for sleep, appetite, and tempo of speech items and a 7-point scale from 1 to 7 for remaining 14 items. The total score ranges form 17 (normal) to 113 (severe depression).

Change from baseline CDRS-R at 8 weeks or upon termination was calculated as baseline minus 8 weeks in the adjusted CDRS-R total score (CDRS-R total minus 17, the minimum possible total score).

The Clinical Global Impression - Improvement scale (CGI-I) is a 7 point scale that requires the clinician to assess how much the patient's illness has improved or worsened relative to a baseline state at the beginning of the intervention. and rated as: 1=very much improved; 2= much improved; 3=minimally improved; 4=no change from baseline; 5=minimally worse; 6=much worse; 7=very much worse since the initiation of treatment.

CGI-I was measured at 8 weeks or upon termination