Efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training: an indicated preventive intervention for depression.
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.
Young
Jami F
JF
Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University/New York State Psychiatric Institute, USA. youngj@childpsych.columbia.edu
Mufson
Laura
L
Davies
Mark
M
D000293:Adolescent; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome