title: Family-based interpersonal psychotherapy for depressed preadolescents: examining efficacy and potential treatment mechanisms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the preliminary efficacy of family-based interpersonal psychotherapy (FB-IPT) for treating depression in preadolescents (aged 7-12 years) as compared to child-centered therapy (CCT), a supportive and nondirective treatment that closely approximates the standard of care for pediatric depression in community mental health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preadolescents with depression (N = 42) were randomly assigned FB-IPT or CCT. Pre- and posttreatment assessments included clinician-administered measures of depression, parent- and child-reported depression and anxiety symptoms, and parent-child conflict and interpersonal impairment with peers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preadolescents receiving FB-IPT had higher rates of remission (66.0% versus 31%), a greater decrease in depressive symptoms from pre- to posttreatment, and lower depressive symptoms at posttreatment (R(2) = 0.35, ΔR(2) = 0.22; B = -8.15, SE = 2.61, t[37] = -3.13, p = .002, F(2) = 0.28) than did preadolescents with depression receiving CCT. Furthermore, preadolescents in the FB-IPT condition reported significant reductions in anxiety and interpersonal impairment compared with preadolescents in the CCT condition. Changes in social and peer impairment from pre- to posttreatment were associated with preadolescents' posttreatment depressive symptoms. There was a significant indirect effect for decreased social impairment accounting for the association between the FB-IPT and preadolescents' posttreatment depressive symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings indicate FB-IPT is an effective treatment for preadolescent depression and support further investigation of interpersonal mechanisms by which FB-IPT may reduce preadolescent depression. Clinical trial registration information-Phase II Study of Family Based Interpersonal Psychotherapy (FB-IPT) for Depressed Preadolescents; http://clinicaltrials.gov; NCT02054312.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh. Electronic address: dietzlj@upmc.edu.
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh.
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Weinberg
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Brent
authors.affiliation: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons/New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI), New York.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mufson
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010414:Pennsylvania; D009629:Person-Centered Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: IPT; depression; preadolescent; randomized controlled trial; treatment