Interpersonal Psychotherapy For Adolescents Research Articles

Comparative Effectiveness of Ultra-Brief, IPT-A Based Crisis Intervention for Suicidal Children and Adolescents

Background In recent years, suicidal thoughts and behaviors have become increasingly common among children and adolescents, leading to an elevation in the number of visits to emergency departments in pediatric hospitals. In Israel, the rising demand for mental health treatment due to suicidal distress is also salient, creating prolonged wait periods and low case acceptance rates. Addressing the urgent need for streamlined interventions, the present study outlines the design and results of a non-inferiority effectiveness trial of an ultra-brief suicide crisis intervention based on Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents (IPT-A-SCI). Methods 309 children and adolescents presenting to the Depression and Suicide Clinic at Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel with depressive and anxiety symptoms and/or suicidal ideation/behavior were assigned to either IPT-A-SCI, Treatment as Usual (TAU), or waitlist condition. Assessments were conducted pre- and post-intervention/after five sessions/five weeks (as secondary assessments) in accordance with group assignment. Results At secondary assessment, post IPT-A-SCI, suicide ideation, and behavior as well as depression and anxiety symptoms significantly decreased, with no group differences observed between IPT-A-SCI, TAU, and control groups. Conclusion IPT-A-SCI is feasible and as effective as the standard treatment in reducing suicidal, depressive, and anxiety symptoms among children and adolescents.

Effect of Problem Area on Outcomes Among Adolescents Treated With Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression.

Interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A) aims to treat depression by addressing one of four problem areas: grief, role disputes, role transitions, or interpersonal deficits. This study compared the characteristics of adolescents by problem area and evaluated the impact of problem area on outcomes. Forty adolescents (ages 12-17) participated in a randomized trial of adaptive treatment strategies that included IPT-A. Adolescents with role disputes were younger than adolescents with interpersonal deficits or role transitions and had worse expectations for therapeutic alliance than those in the transitions group. Adolescents with interpersonal deficits had higher attachment avoidance than those in the transitions group. Posttreatment, adolescents in the transitions group had more severe depression and social adjustment problems than those in the deficits group and more social adjustment problems than those in the disputes group. This preliminary study's findings suggest that differing IPT-A problem areas may affect prognosis.

Interpersonal Counseling for College Students: Pilot Feasibility and Acceptability Study.

University counseling centers struggle to meet the growing demand for mental health treatment by students in distress. More acutely distressed students typically receive priority, whereas those with mild to moderate depression often face longer wait times and fewer available therapy sessions. For this reason, interpersonal counseling for college students (IPC-C) was created as a brief manualized psychotherapy, suitable for students with mild to moderate depression, that maintains the core components of interpersonal counseling and integrates components from interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents and other developmentally appropriate techniques. This article describes a pilot trial of IPC-C. IPC-C is delivered in three to six psychotherapy sessions focused on alleviating depressive symptoms and increasing social support. Ten participants from two university counseling centers were recruited to receive IPC-C. The inclusion criterion was a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score of 5-14, indicating mild to moderate depression. Participants completed the PHQ-9 at each session, the College Adjustment Test at baseline and termination, and the IPC Satisfaction Scale at termination. Nine of the 10 participants completed the study, attending an average of five therapy sessions each. Participants agreed that the number of sessions was appropriate and indicated satisfaction with the IPC-C intervention. Participants exhibited significantly reduced depression severity (Cohen's d=2.45) and significantly improved college adjustment (d=0.92). In this pilot trial, IPC-C was found to be a feasible and acceptable intervention for university-based treatment of young adults with mild to moderate depressive symptoms. IPC-C holds promise as a potentially effective intervention for this population and warrants further study in a randomized trial.

Interpersonal Counseling for College Students: Pilot Feasibility and Acceptability Study.

University counseling centers struggle to meet the growing demand for mental health treatment by students in distress. More acutely distressed students typically receive priority, whereas those with mild to moderate depression often face longer wait times and fewer available therapy sessions. For this reason, interpersonal counseling for college students (IPC-C) was created as a brief manualized psychotherapy, suitable for students with mild to moderate depression, that maintains the core components of interpersonal counseling and integrates components from interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents and other developmentally appropriate techniques. This article describes a pilot trial of IPC-C. IPC-C is delivered in three to six psychotherapy sessions focused on alleviating depressive symptoms and increasing social support. Ten participants from two university counseling centers were recruited to receive IPC-C. The inclusion criterion was a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score of 5-14, indicating mild to moderate depression. Participants completed the PHQ-9 at each session, the College Adjustment Test at baseline and termination, and the IPC Satisfaction Scale at termination. Nine of the 10 participants completed the study, attending an average of five therapy sessions each. Participants agreed that the number of sessions was appropriate and indicated satisfaction with the IPC-C intervention. Participants exhibited significantly reduced depression severity (Cohen's d=2.45) and significantly improved college adjustment (d=0.92). In this pilot trial, IPC-C was found to be a feasible and acceptable intervention for university-based treatment of young adults with mild to moderate depressive symptoms. IPC-C holds promise as a potentially effective intervention for this population and warrants further study in a randomized trial.

I can succeed, a new social emotional learning program for children based on interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents

ABSTRACT I Can Succeed-Elementary School (ICS-ES) is the first social-emotional learning (SEL) program based on interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A). We hypothesized that fourth graders participating in ICS-ES over two school years would show improvements in interpersonal/social, emotional, and academic functioning. 419 fourth-grade students (204 girls and 215 boys, ages 9-10) were non-randomly assigned either to participating in ICS-ES (n=283) or to not participating in any SEL programs, i.e. treatment as usual (TAU; n=136). At the end of the second year, analyses showed significant improvement in assertiveness and significant reductions in internalizing symptoms and bullying among the ICS-ES group. The groups did not differ in cooperation, responsibility, hyperactivity, empathy, self-control, and externalizing symptoms. In addition, academic achievements in their first language (Hebrew) significantly improved only among ICS-ES students, while there were no changes in their second language (English) achievements. In contrast, TAU students showed a decrease in their second-language achievements. There were no differences between the groups in mathematics achievements. Teachers reported overall high satisfaction with the training and implementation. These results suggest that ICS-ES is a feasible and promising program for reducing internalizing symptoms and enhancing interpersonal skills and specific areas of academic functioning.

Family-Based Interpersonal Psychotherapy: An Intervention for Preadolescent Depression.

Family-based interpersonal psychotherapy (FB-IPT) is an evidence-based psychosocial intervention for depression in preadolescents (ages 8-12 years). Adapted from interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents with depression and modified for younger children, this therapy includes structured dyadic sessions with preadolescents and their parents, guidance for parents in supporting their children and decreasing negative parent-child interactions, and a focus on preadolescents' comorbid anxiety and peer relationships. This article reviews the conceptual foundations and risk factors related to preadolescent depression and the rationale for focusing on improving preadolescents' interpersonal relationships to decrease depressive symptoms and risk for depression during adolescence. The structure and goals for the initial, middle, and termination phases of FB-IPT are described, as well as the specific communication and problem-solving strategies presented to preadolescents and parents. Last, research on the efficacy of FB-IPT is summarized, as are future directions for implementing this promising psychosocial intervention for preadolescent depression in community settings.

Review: The effectiveness of interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents with depression - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A) is a manualised, time-limited intervention for young people with depression. This systematic review aimed to determine the effectiveness of IPT-A for treating adolescent depression. A systematic search of relevant electronic databases and study reference lists was conducted. Any study investigating the effectiveness of IPT-A in 12- to 20-year-olds with a depressive disorder was eligible. Synthesis was via narrative summary and meta-analysis. Twenty studies were identified (10 randomised trials and 10 open trials/case studies), many of which had small sample sizes and were of varying quality. Following IPT-A, participants experienced large improvements in depression symptoms (d=-1.48, p<.0001, k=17), interpersonal difficulties with a medium effect (d=-0.68, p<.001, k=8) and in general functioning with a very large effect (d=2.85, p<.001, k=8). When compared against control interventions, IPT-A was more effective than non-CBT active controls in reducing depression symptoms (d=-0.64, p<.001, k=5) and was no different from CBT (d=0.05, p=.88, k=2). There was no difference between IPT-A and active control interventions in reducing interpersonal difficulties (d=-0.26, p=.25, k=5). Interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents is an effective intervention for adolescent depression, improving a range of relevant outcomes. IPT-A is consistently superior to less structured interventions and performs similarly to CBT. However, these conclusions are cautious, as they are based on a small number of controlled studies, with minor adaptations to the standard IPT-A protocol, and/or were conducted by the intervention developers. Further robust RCTs are therefore required. The lack of superiority in IPT-A for improving interpersonal difficulties highlights a need for studies to explore the underpinning mechanisms of change.

Stepped Care Interpersonal Psychotherapy Treatment for Depressed Adolescents: A Pilot Study in Pediatric Clinics.

Adolescents with depression are at risk for negative long-term consequences and recurrence of depression. Many do not receive nor access treatment, especially Latino youth. New treatment approaches are needed. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a stepped collaborative care treatment model (SCIPT-A) for adolescents with depression utilizing interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A) and antidepressant medication (if needed) compared to Enhanced Treatment as Usual (E-TAU) in urban pediatric primary care clinics serving primarily Latino youth. Results suggest the SCIPT-A model is feasible, acceptable and potentially beneficial for urban Latino adolescents. Clinicians delivered the SCIPT-A model with fidelity using supervision successfully implemented in a community setting.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression: Understanding the Core of the Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents Model and Its Adaptations

The goal of this presentation is to introduce the principles and techniques of interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A) suffering from depression and its adaptations for the treatment of depressed preadolescents, prevention of depression in adolescents, and the use of IPT-A in conjunction with medication. Research support for these adaptations also will be discussed. IPT-A is an efficacious treatment that is delineated in a published treatment manual.

Innovations in Practice: The relationship betweensleep disturbances, depression, and interpersonal functioning in treatment for adolescent depression.

Sleep disturbance is frequently comorbid with depression and sleep complaints are the most common residual symptoms after treatment among adolescents with depression. The present analyses investigated the effect of sleep disturbance in depressed adolescents treated with Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents (IPT-A) versus Treatment as Usual (TAU) in school-based mental health clinics. 63 adolescents participated in a randomized clinical trial of IPT-A versus TAU for adolescent depression. Participants were diagnosed with a DSM-IV depressive disorder and assessed for symptoms of depression, interpersonal functioning and sleep disturbance. Measures were assessed at baseline, session 4 and 8 of treatment, and session 12 for post-acute treatment follow-up. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to model change in depression, interpersonal functioning and sleep disturbance. Ongoing sleep disturbance was significantly associated with worse depression scores as rated by clinician (γ = 1.04, SE = 0.22, p < .001) and self-report (γ = 1.63, SE = 0.29, p < .001), as well as worse interpersonal functioning across the course of treatment (γ = 0.09, SE = 0.02, p < .001). Treatment condition did not predict change in sleep disturbance (γ = -0.13, SE = 0.14, p = ns). For all patients in the study, sleep disturbance was a predictor of depression and interpersonal functioning for depressed adolescents. Sleep disturbance predicted more depression and interpersonal stress across treatments and led to a slower improvement in depression and interpersonal functioning. This data suggests that sleep disturbance should be a target for future treatment development research among depressed adolescents.

Is Interpersonal Psychotherapy Infinitely Adaptable? A Compendium of the Multiple Modifications of IPT.

We employed standard literature search techniques and surveyed participants on the International Society for Interpersonal Psychotherapy listserve (isiptlist@googlegroups.com) to catalogue the multiple and highly creative ways in which Klerman's and Weissman's original concept of interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) has been modified to meet the needs of a vast range of patient populations. Focusing first on adaptations of the individual treatment model for subgroups of adult patients, we next describe further adaptations of four major off-shoots of IPT: interpersonal counseling (IPC), IPT for adolescents (IPT-A), group IPT (IPT-G) and most recently, brief IPT (IPT-B). We then discuss IPT "in-laws," those treatments that have married IPT with of other forms of psychotherapy for patients with bipolar disorder, panic symptomatology, and substance abuse. We conclude with that although there have been myriad successful adaptations of IPT, there remain some conditions for which IPT adaptations have not been found to be efficacious.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents with Depression: What Has the Research Taught Us So Far?

Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents with Depression: What Has the Research Taught Us So Far?

Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescent Depression

Interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A) is a short-term treatment for adolescents with major depression. Unlike most supportive, expressive forms of psychotherapy that are often used to treat depressed adolescents and are not standardised, IPT-A has a treatment manual available (Mufson et al., 1993) and specific training is required for the therapist. Unfortunately, there is no training centre yet in the U.K., although several groups, including ours, are developing expertise in IPT-A. This paper discusses the role of IPT-A, outlines the structure of sessions, and offers an analysis of the differences between this and other therapies.

Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescent Depression

Interpersonal psychotherapy for adolescents (IPT-A) is a short-term treatment for adolescents with major depression. Unlike most supportive, expressive forms of psychotherapy that are often used to treat depressed adolescents and are not standardised, IPT-A has a treatment manual available (Mufson et al., 1993) and specific training is required for the therapist. Unfortunately, there is no training centre yet in the U.K., although several groups, including ours, are developing expertise in IPT-A. This paper discusses the role of IPT-A, outlines the structure of sessions, and offers an analysis of the differences between this and other therapies.