Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescent Girls

Prevention of Depression in Maltreated and Nonmaltreated Adolescents

This study will evaluate the efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents (IPT-A) for the treatment of depression and prevention of depression in maltreated and nonmaltreated girls between the ages of 13-15 years old.

Child maltreatment poses a serious public health problem and heightens the risk of psychopathology across the life course. Adolescence also represents a peak time for the emergence of depressive disorders particularly in girls. Effective interventions to prevent and treat depression in low income adolescent girls with or without histories of maltreatment are needed.

Three groups will be recruited: Maltreated Depressive Symptoms (MDS), Nonmaltreated Depressive Symptoms (NDS), and a Nonmaltreated Nonsymptomatic Comparison (NNC), comparable in SES, race/ethnicity, and household composition. The MDS and NDS groups will be randomized into IPT-A or Enhanced Care (EC). Adolescent girls in these groups will receive 13 sessions of therapy. Girls in the NNC group will only complete research visits.

Research assessments will be conducted at T1 (baseline/prior to intervention), T2 (6-weeks mid-intervention), T3 (end of intervention), T4 (1-year post) and T5 (18 months post). Girls and their mothers will participate in these research sessions. A multi-level-of-analysis approach, integrating genotyping, hormone assays, cognitive testing, adolescent- and maternal-report, mother-teen observation, and DHS and school records will be utilized to assess the effectiveness of the interventions.

Inclusion Criteria:

• girls
• ages 13-15 years old
• low SES status
• live in Rochester or surrounding counties
• girls in the maltreated depressive symptom group will have CPS-documented child maltreatment
• girls in the nonmaltreated depressive symptom group will not have CPS- documented child maltreatment
• girls in the nonmaltreated nonsymptomatic comparison group will have no current or past mental illness and no documented child maltreatment

Exclusion Criteria:

• taking antidepressants or prescription medications for anxiety
• already receiving mental health treatment
• actively suicidal
• diagnosed with a severe mental disorder
• abusing drugs or alcohol
• evidence of compromised cognitive ability
• evidence of a pervasive developmental disorder
• evidence of a major physical or neurological disorder
• non-English speaking