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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03308864

Strong Connections

The purpose of this study is to compare two talking forms of therapy designed to help reduce depressive symptoms in teenagers: Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents and Treatment as Usual.

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Key information

Conditions

Depression Behavior Behavioral Symptoms

Age range

12 year–18 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Pediatric Behavior Health and Wellness

Rochester, New York, 14620, United States

About this study

Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents (IPT-A) is a manualized short-term therapeutic intervention that has been shown to be efficacious in a number of randomized control trials for adolescent depression. The primary aim of the present study is to evaluate the feasibility of incorporating Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents (IPT-A) into routine psychotherapeutic treatment at Strong Behavioral Health: Child and Adolescent Outpatient. The second aim of the present investigation is to examine changes in adolescent symptomatology, interpersonal functioning, perceived stress, and social support throughout the course of treatment. The third aim of the present study is to compare the effectiveness of IPT-A versus treatment as usual (TAU) at reducing depressive symptoms among adolescents.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • age 12-18
  • scoring in the clinically elevated range for depression using the Beck Depression Inventory for Youth

Exclusion criteria

  • currently psychotic
  • do not speak English
  • currently participating in another form of mental health treatment
  • considered to need inpatient hospitalization
  • IQ less than 70

Treatment and study plan

Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents

Behavioral

Experimental: Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents (IPT-A) IPT-A is a manualized intervention for depression that targets adolescents' interpersonal context and social supports as mechanisms of change. It will be provided in accordance with the treatment manual by Child and Adolescent Outpatient Service clinicians over the course of 12-16 50-minute sessions.

Treatment as Usual

Behavioral

Treatment as usual will consist of the standard care for adolescent depressive symptoms at CAOS. TAU is not manualized; it is consistent with care typically provided in community settings. Therapists establish a working alliance, are empathetic, reflect expressed affect, and discuss options for coping with concerns as initiated by the adolescent.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Mean Beck Depression Inventory score

    Time frame: Baseline to 8 months

    Adolescents' depressive symptomatology will be measured using adolescent-report of the Beck Depression Inventory-Youth. It is a 20-item scale ranging from 0 to 100 with higher scores indicating worse health outcomes.

  2. Change in Mean Beck Depression Inventory score

    Time frame: Baseline to 5 months

    Adolescents' depressive symptomatology will be measured using adolescent-report of the Beck Depression Inventory-Youth. It is a 20-item scale ranging from 0 to 100 with higher scores indicating worse health outcomes.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in the mean score in suicide ideation.

    Time frame: Baseline to 5 months

    The Beck Suicide Scale will be used to measure suicide ideation. It is a 21-item scale ranging from 0-2 with higher scores higher levels of suicide ideation.

  2. Change in the mean score in suicide ideation.

    Time frame: Baseline to 8 months

    The Beck Suicide Scale will be used to measure suicide ideation. It is a 21-item scale ranging from 0-2 with higher scores higher levels of suicide ideation.

  3. Change in mean perceived stress

    Time frame: Baseline to 5 months

    The Perceived Stress Scale will be used to measure perceived stress. It is a 14-item scale ranging from 0-4 with higher scores higher levels of stress.

  4. Change in mean perceived stress

    Time frame: Baseline to 8 months

    The Perceived Stress Scale will be used to measure perceived stress. It is a 14-item scale ranging from 0-4 with higher scores higher levels of stress.

  5. Change in mean social adjustment

    Time frame: Baseline to 5 months

    The Social Adjustment Scale-SR will be used to measure social adjustment. It is a 23-item scale ranging from 0-5 with higher scores higher levels of social adjustment.

  6. Change in mean social adjustment

    Time frame: Baseline to 8 months

    The Social Adjustment Scale-SR will be used to measure social adjustment. It is a 23-item scale ranging from 0-5 with higher scores higher levels of social adjustment.

  7. Mean change in social support

    Time frame: Baseline to 5 months

    The Social Support Behaviors Scale will be used to measure social support. There are two domains, one for family and one for friends. It is a 45-item scale ranging from 0-5 with higher scores indicating higher levels of social support.

  8. Mean change in social support

    Time frame: Baseline to 8 months

    The Social Support Behaviors Scale will be used to measure social support. There are two domains, one for family and one for friends. It is a 45-item scale ranging from 0-5 with higher scores indicating higher levels of social support.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Rochester

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Strong Connections-Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents

Important dates

Study start
2012
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2018
First posted
Oct 13, 2017
Registry last updated
Oct 15, 2018

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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