Predicting Therapeutic Effects of Psychodiagnostic Assessment Among Children and Adolescents Participating in Randomized Controlled Trials.
This study explored predictors of improvement after completing a psychodiagnostic screening assessment but before randomization among youth who participated in two pilot randomized controlled trials of omega-3 supplementation and Individual-Family Psychoeducational Psychotherapy (PEP). Ninety-five youth (56.8% male, 61.1% White) ages 7-14 with mood disorders completed screening and baseline assessments (including Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement [CGI-I], Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised, Young Mania Rating Scale), then were randomized into a 12-week trial of omega-3, PEP, their combination, or placebo. Between screening and randomization, 35.8% minimally improved (CGI-I = 3), 12.6% much improved (CGI-I < 3), totaling 48.4% improved. Caregiver postsecondary education (p = .018), absence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (p = .027), and lower screen depression severity (p = .034) were associated with CGI-I. Caregiver postsecondary education (p = .020) and absence of a disruptive behavior diagnosis (p = .038) were associated with depression severity improvement. Prerandomization improvement moderated treatment outcomes: Among youth who improved prerandomization, those who received PEP (alone or with omega-3) had more favorable placebo-controlled depression trajectories due to a lack of placebo response. This open-label trial of psychodiagnostic assessment provides suggestive evidence that psychodiagnostic assessment is beneficial, especially for those with depression and without externalizing disorders. Prerandomization improvement is associated with better placebo-controlled treatment response. Future research should test alternative hypotheses for change and determine if less intensive (shorter and/or automated) assessments would provide comparable results.
a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health , The Ohio State University.
Andrea S
0000-0002-8486-0643
AS
Young
a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health , The Ohio State University.
Molly R
MR
Meers
a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health , The Ohio State University.
Anthony T
AT
Vesco
a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health , The Ohio State University.
Adina M
AM
Seidenfeld
a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health , The Ohio State University.
L Eugene
LE
Arnold
a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health , The Ohio State University.
Mary A
MA
Fristad
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome