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Efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy‐Adolescent Skills Training: an indicated preventive intervention for depression
Author(s) -
Young Jami F.,
Mufson Laura,
Davies Mark
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2006.01667.x
Subject(s) - interpersonal psychotherapy , depression (economics) , intervention (counseling) , psychology , psychological intervention , clinical psychology , psychiatry , randomized controlled trial , medicine , economics , macroeconomics
Background: Indicated interventions for adolescents with elevated depressive symptoms may help decrease rates of depression. The current study reports on the efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy‐Adolescent Skills Training (IPT‐AST), a group indicated preventive intervention. Methods: Forty‐one adolescents with elevated depression symptoms were randomized to receive either IPT‐AST or school counseling (SC) as delivered by guidance counselors and social workers. Adolescents in the two intervention conditions were compared on depression symptoms, overall functioning, and depression diagnoses post‐intervention and at 3‐month and 6‐month follow‐up. Results: Adolescents who received IPT‐AST had significantly fewer depression symptoms and better overall functioning post‐intervention and at follow‐up. Adolescents in IPT‐AST also reported fewer depression diagnoses than adolescents in usual care. Conclusions: These results provide preliminary evidence of the efficacy of IPT‐AST as an intervention for adolescents with subthreshold depression. Future research is needed to confirm the efficacy of IPT‐AST in a larger and more diverse sample and to determine its long‐term impact on depression symptoms and depression diagnoses.