disorders - depressive disorders
Stein, L. A. R., Lebeau, R., Colby, S. M., Barnett, N. P., Golembeske, C., Monti, P. M.
Objective: Motivational interviewing to reduce alcohol and marijuana use among incarcerated adolescents was evaluated. Method: Adolescents (N = 162, 84% male; M = 17.10 years old) were randomly assigned to receive motivational interviewing or relaxation training, with follow-up assessment 3 months after release. Results: Compared with those who received relaxation training, adolescents who received motivational interviewing had lower rates of alcohol and marijuana use at follow-up, with some evidence for moderating effects of depression. At low levels of depression, adolescents who received motivational interviewing had lower rates of use. Adolescents who received relaxation training and who had high levels of depressive symptoms early in incarceration showed less use at follow-up than those low in depressive symptoms who received relaxation training. Conclusions: This brief motivational interviewing intervention during incarceration reduces alcohol and marijuana use after release. In addition, depressive symptoms early in incarceration should be considered in treating these adolescents, but more work is needed to extend follow-up period and account for the impact of depression on outcomes.
Journal of Studies on Alcohol & Drugs, 72(3) : 497-506
- Year: 2011
- Problem: Depressive Disorders, Substance Use Disorders (any)
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Motivational interviewing, includes Motivational Enhancing Therapy, Relaxation
Stallard, Paul, Richardson, Thomas, Velleman, Sophie, Attwood, Megan
Background: Aims: Method: Results: Conclusions: Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of computerized cognitive behaviour therapy (cCBT) for depression and anxiety in adults, but there has been little work with children and adolescents.To describe the development of a cCBT intervention (Think, Feel, Do) for young people, and preliminary outcomes and feedback from a pilot randomized controlled trial.Twenty participants aged 11 to 16 with depression or anxiety were randomized to receive cCBT immediately or after a delay. Standardized measures were used to assess self-reported anxiety, depression, self-esteem and cognitions, as well as parent rated strengths and difficulties. A feedback form was also completed to assess young people's views of the programme.A total of 15 participants completed the pre and post assessments in the trial, and 17 provided feedback on the intervention. Paired samples t-tests demonstrated significant improvements on 3 subscales in the control condition, compared to 7 subscales in the cCBT condition. Feedback showed moderate to high satisfaction for participants.This study provides encouraging preliminary results for the effectiveness and acceptability of cCBT with this age group.
© British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2011
Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapy, 39(3) : 273-284
- Year: 2011
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Reid, S. C., Kauer, S. D., Hearps, S. J., Crooke, A. H., Khor, A. S., Sanci, L. A., Patton, G. C.
Over 75% of mental health problems begin in adolescence and primary care has been identified as the target setting for mental health intervention by the World Health Organisation. The mobiletype program is a mental health assessment and management mobile phone application which monitors mood, stress, coping strategies, activities, eating, sleeping, exercise patterns, and alcohol and cannabis use at least daily, and transmits this information to general practitioners (GPs) via a secure website in summary format for medical review. We conducted a randomised controlled trial in primary care to examine the mental health benefits of the mobiletype program. Patients aged 14 to 24 years were recruited from rural and metropolitan general practices. GPs identified and referred eligible participants (those with mild or more mental health concerns) who were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (where mood, stress, and daily activities were monitored) or the attention comparison group (where only daily activities were monitored). Both groups self-monitored for 2 to 4 weeks and reviewed the monitoring data with their GP. GPs, participants, and researchers were blind to group allocation at randomisation. Participants completed pre-, post-, and 6-week post-test measures of the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale and an Emotional Self Awareness (ESA) Scale. Of the 163 participants assessed for eligibility, 118 were randomised and 114 participants were included in analyses (intervention group n = 68, comparison group n = 46). Mixed model analyses revealed a significant group by time interaction on ESA with a medium size of effect suggesting that the mobiletype program significantly increases ESA compared to an attention comparison. There was no significant group by time interaction for depression, anxiety, or stress, but a medium to large significant main effect for time for each of these mental health measures. Post-hoc analyses suggested that participation in the RCT lead to enhanced GP mental health care at pre-test and improved mental health outcomes. Monitoring mental health symptoms appears to increase ESA and implementing a mental health program in primary care and providing frequent reminders, clinical resources, and support to GPs substantially improved mental health outcomes for the sample as a whole. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00794222.
BMC Family Practice, 12 : 131
- Year: 2011
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions, Other service delivery and improvement interventions
Pratt, H. D.
The long-held view that medicine or therapy is an "art" is quickly becoming obsolete. To procure referrals and reimbursement, clinicians are being forced to be accountable (ie, use empirically supported, effective, reproducible, and efficient treatment interventions) by insurance companies, professional credentialing bodies, and their consumers. This article focuses on reviews of treatment interventions by scholars, researchers, clinicians, and study groups who have examined multiple databases of published studies and ongoing treatment protocols. Behavioral and cognitive-behavioral therapies were most often identified as well-established treatments for specific mental and behavioral health disorders in children and adolescents. Psychotherapy alone or in conjunction with pharmacotherapy can be powerful tools in helping youth manage or eliminate negative outcomes of mental and behavioral disorders. (copyright) 2011 Elsevier Inc.
Pediatric Clinics of North America, 58(1) : 1-9
- Year: 2011
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
Punamaki, R. L., Paavonen, J., Toikka, S., Solantaus, T.
Background: According to the cognitive vulnerability models of depression, dysfunctional cognitive style increases the likelihood of depression among adults and children especially at high risk and stress. Children with dysfunctional attribution style tend to interpret failures as their own fault and unchangeable, and perceive positive events as exceptional and caused by external forces. Children of depressive parents show more dysfunctional and negative causal attributions than those in intact families, placing them into a heightened risk for transgenerational depression. It is crucial to help the children of depressive parents to maintain functional causal attributions. Aims: First, we examine, whether preventive interventions can increase positive and decrease negative causal attributions in children whose parent/s have mood disorder. The compared interventions are the Family Talk Intervention (FTI)and a psychoeducational discussion with parents (Let's Talk about Children, LT). Second, whether positive changes in attributions contribute to children's good mental health. Methods: Participants were 119 Finnish families with 145 children (8-16 years), in which at least one parent was in treatment for mood disorder. Families were randomized either to the FTI or LT. Children reported causal attributions (CASQ-R), and both parents and children reported child depressive (CDI) and psychiatric symptoms (SDQ) at baseline (T1), 10 months after intervention (T2) and 19 months follow-up (T3). Results: An increase of positive causal attributions was found in LT, but not in the FTI from T1 to T3. No general or intervention-specific changes were found on negative attributions. Increase in functional causal attributes correlated with good child mental health. Conclusion: Dysfunctional cognitive style emerges early in development and forms a severe mental health risk. Family preventions are encouraging in hindering their negative impacts.
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 20 : S35-S36
- Year: 2011
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Psychoeducation
Muto, T., Hayes, S. C., Jeffcoat, T.
International students often experience significant psychological distress but empirically tested programs are few. Broadly distributed bibliotherapy may provide a cost-effective approach. About half of the Japanese international students in a western university in the United States (N= 70) were randomly assigned to a wait-list or to receive a Japanese translation of a broadly focused acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) self-help book. Although recruited without regard to health status, the sample was highly distressed with nearly 80% exceeding clinical cutoffs on one or more measures. After a 2-months period for the first treatment group to read the book and a 2-month follow up, wait-list participants also received the book. Students receiving the book showed significantly better general mental health at post and follow up. Moderately depressed or stressed, and severely anxious students showed improvement compared to those not receiving the book. These patterns were repeated when the wait-list participants finally received the book. Improvements in primary outcomes were related to how much was learned about an ACT model from the book. Follow-up outcomes were statistically mediated by changes in psychological flexibility, but not vice versa and were moderated by level of initial flexibility. Overall, the data suggest that ACT bibliotherapy improved the mental health and psychological flexibility of Japanese international students. (copyright) 2011.
Behavior Therapy, 42(2) : 323-335
- Year: 2011
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Acceptance & commitment therapy (ACT)
, Self-help
Mitchell, P., Smedley, K., Kenning, C., McKee, A., Woods, D., Rennie, C. E., Bell, R. V., Aryamanesh, M., Dolan, M.
Many studies have identified high levels of mental health problems among adolescents in custody and there is increasing evidence that mental health problems in this population are associated with further offending and mental health problems into adulthood. Despite recent improvements in mental health provision within custodial settings there is little evidence of structured interventions being offered or of their effectiveness being evaluated. A cognitively based intervention was developed and offered to adolescents with a variety of mental health problems in different secure settings, and the outcomes compared with a control group. Although this small-scale study did not identify significant differences in outcomes for the two groups, both recruitment and retention in therapy were good, and potential candidates were not excluded on the basis of learning difficulties or co-morbidity. The study demonstrated the viability of a delivering cognitively based intervention for common mental health problems within secure settings. (copyright) 2010 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents.
Journal of Adolescence, 34(3) : 433-443
- Year: 2011
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
Mohammadian, Y., Shahidi, S., Mahaki, B., Mohammadi, A. Z., Baghban, A. A., Zayeri, F.
The aim of the present study was to explore the effectiveness of group poetry intervention on signs of depression, anxiety and stress in female undergraduate students in Iran. A sample of 29 participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention (n= 14) or a no intervention group (n= 15). The intervention group took part in seven sessions of group poetry therapy of 90-120. min duration each while the no intervention group was put on a waiting list. All participants completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) before the intervention and after second, fifth and the last session. Results showed that the use of poetry as an intervention technique plays a significant role in reducing signs of depression, anxiety and reported stress. This confirms previous research. Results are discussed in terms of the viability of poetry as a possible therapeutic method in alleviating depressive and anxiety related disorders considering some important characteristics of the Iranian culture. (copyright) 2011 Elsevier Inc.
Arts in Psychotherapy, 38(1) : 59-63
- Year: 2011
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Creative expression: music, dance, drama, art
Possel, Patrick, Adelson, Jill L., Hautzinger, Martin
Although few prevention studies have been designed to investigate the course of prevention effects over time, it seems that the effects on depressive symptoms increase from post-intervention to 6-month follow-up but then decrease with longer lags to follow-up. Furthermore, previous prevention studies have found differential intervention effects for boys and girls without testing possible explanations for this effect. The present randomized control group study with 301 8th-grade students examined the effects of a depression prevention program from baseline until 12-month follow-up. As expected, while positive intervention effects were found on girls' depressive symptoms, no such effects were found on boys' depressive symptoms. Further, the positive intervention effects on girls' depressive symptoms increased to the 6-month follow-up and remained stable through the 12-month follow-up, while depression symptoms in control-group girls increased from 6-month to 12-month follow-up. Further exploratory analyses revealed that neither baseline conduct problems nor cognitive or social knowledge of the prevention program at 12-month follow-up alone explained the sex effect. However, some limited evidence was found indicating that total knowledge (cognitive and social) might partially explain the effect but there was significant variability remaining to be explained.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Behaviour Research & Therapy, 49(12) : 838-851
- Year: 2011
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions
Reynolds, E. K., MacPherson, L., Tull, M. T., Baruch, D. E., Lejuez, C. W.
College freshmen face a variety of academic and social challenges as they adjust to college life that can place them at risk for a number of negative outcomes, including depression and alcohol-related problems. Orientation classes that focus on teaching incoming students how to better cope with college-oriented stress may provide an opportunity to prevent the development of these adjustment problems. This article outlines a program based on behavioral activation that can be integrated into college orientation programs to provide a more comprehensive orientation experience. Data are presented from an initial pilot study in which 71 first-semester freshman at the University of Maryland participated in a 15-week, 2 hr per week orientation class (n = 37 in the behavioral activation-enhanced orientation classes and n = 34 in the control orientation as usual classes). Students' depression and alcohol use were evaluated at the beginning, middle, and end of the course. Results indicated a Time null Group interaction such that problem drinking (but not consumption) was significantly reduced across assessments in the behavioral activation classes and largely unchanged in the standard classes. No difference was observed in depression scores; however, fairly low depression scores across the 3 time points may have limited the opportunity to observe any meaningful impact of the orientation classes on depression. The authors conclude with a discussion of the implications of their findings for preventing adjustment problems among incoming college students and future directions. (copyright) 2011 American Psychological Association.
Journal of Counseling Psychology, 58(4) : 555-564
- Year: 2011
- Problem: Depressive Disorders, Alcohol Use
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Other Psychological Interventions
Niederhofer, H., vonKlitzing, K.
Background: In the last decade, a significant incidence of depression in the younger population has been observed. Bright light therapy, an effective therapeutic option for depressed adults, could also provide safe, economical, and effective rapid recovery in adolescents. Method: The randomized trial included 28 inpatients (18 females and 10 males) between 14 and 17 years old with depressive complaints. The study was conducted between February and December of 2010 in Rodewisch, Germany. Half of the patients (n = 14) first received placebo (50 lux) 1 hour a day in the morning from 9:00 am to 10:00 am for 1 week and then received bright light therapy (2,500 lux) for 1 week in the morning from 9:00 am to 10:00 am. The other half (n = 14) first received bright light therapy and then received placebo. Patients were encouraged to continue ongoing treatment (fluoxetine 20 mg/day and 2 sessions of psychotherapy/week) because there were no changes in medication/dosage and psychotherapy since 1 month before the 4-week study period. For assessment of depressive symptoms, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was administered 1 week before and 1 day before placebo treatment, on the day between placebo and bright light treatment, and on the day after and 1 week after bright light treatment. Saliva samples of melatonin and cortisol were collected at 8:00 am and 8:00 pm 1 week before and 1 day before placebo treatment, on the day between placebo and bright light treatment, on the day after bright light treatment, and 1 week after bright light treatment and were assayed for melatonin and cortisol to observe any change in circadian timing. Results: The BDI scores improved significantly (P =.015). The assays of saliva showed significant differences between treatment and placebo for evening melatonin (P =.040). No significant adverse reactions were observed. Conclusions: Antidepressant response to bright light treatment in this age group was statistically superior to placebo. (copyright) Copyright 2011 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.
Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 13(6) :
- Year: 2011
- Problem: Depressive Disorders
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative Interventions (CAM)
, Bright light therapy
Myint, K., Choy, K. L., Su, T. T., Lam, S. K.
Although mindfulness meditation practice appears to confer positive effects on various clinical conditions, physiological responses to this practice in healthy individuals are largely unknown. This study is aimed at evaluating the physiological effects of short-term mindfulness meditation in university students intending to take a written term examination. Young healthy university students (n=18) recruited as participants were divided equally into a meditation group without examination stress, a non-meditating group with examination stress, and a meditation group with examination stress. The meditation intervention groups were offered mindfulness practice twice daily of 1 h each time for a period of 5 weekdays, except for weekends, for 3 consecutive weeks. The parameters measured included heart rate, blood pressure and serum cortisol. Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) were also obtained to monitor any negative psychological symptoms. All parameters were measured before intervention, just after intervention, which also coincided with the eve of the academic examination and at 3 weeks after. The DASS-Stress scale was significantly (p<0.05) reduced after intervention in the meditation group with no examination challenge. However, no significant changes were found in the cardiovascular and cortisol outcomes amongst all groups for all time lines. Even though these findings did not show any significant physiological responses to the short-term mindfulness practice in stressful conditions, nonetheless, the results demonstrate the potential benefits of this practice in alleviating stress in the neutral environment of university students. Future studies should address the effects of mindfulness practice in larger groups exposed in stressful situations.
Biomedical Research, 22(2) : 165-171
- Year: 2011
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions (any)
, Mindfulness based therapy