Introduction: Numerous challenges—e.g., medication side effects, reluctance to take medications, cognitive impairment—continue to limit the effective treatment of depression in older adults. In addition, many older adults with depressive symptoms lack access to a mental health provider, yet could potentially benefit from brief, nonpharmacologic interventions. In particular, older adults frequently experience social isolation, disability, avoidance of feared activities, and reduced engagement in pleasurable activities, factors that can precipitate or exacerbate depressive symptoms. “Behavioral Activation” (BA) is a brief, effective, empirically- validated, first-line treatment for depression of mild-to-moderate severity. At the core of BA are patient-specific activation strategies that focus on helping the depressed individual to: 1) decrease avoidance and depression-fueling behaviors (e.g. physical inactivity, social isolation, time spent ruminating); and 2) increase the number and types of pleasant activities and engagement strategies (e.g. exercising, spending time with family and friends, attending and engaging in community-based activities). We sought to identify, evaluate, and synthesize the results of randomized studies of BA in older adults with depressive symptoms.