title: Randomized trial of a brief depression prevention program: an elusive search for a psychosocial placebo control condition.
abstract: This trial compared a brief group cognitive-behavioral (CBT) depression prevention program to a waitlist control condition and four placebo or alternative interventions. High-risk adolescents with elevated depressive symptoms (N=225, M age=18, 70% female) were randomized to CBT, supportive-expressive group intervention, bibliotherapy, expressive writing, journaling, or waitlist conditions and completed assessments at baseline, termination, and 1- and 6-month follow-up. All five active interventions showed significantly greater reductions in depressive symptoms at termination than waitlist controls; effects for CBT and bibliotherapy persisted into follow-up. CBT, supportive-expressive, and bibliotherapy participants also showed significantly greater decreases in depressive symptoms than expressive writing and journaling participants at certain follow-up points. Findings suggest there may be multiple ways to reduce depressive symptoms in high-risk adolescents, although expectancies, demand characteristics, and attention may have contributed to the observed effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, USA. stice@psy.utexas.edu
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stice
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.forename: Sarah Kate
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Bearman
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rohde
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001638:Bibliotherapy / Q000379:methods; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015990:Placebo Effect; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014850:Waiting Lists; D014956:Writing