Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training With Youth From Asian American and Immigrant Families: Cultural Considerations and Intervention Process

The effectiveness of Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training for adolescents with depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST) is a standardized depression prevention program for adolescents conducted in campus settings. The purpose of this review is to examine the randomized controlled trials of IPT-AST for the prevention of adolescent depression in the past 20 years.

Methods

A systematic search of relevant electronic databases (PubMed, WOS, Embase, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, CNKI and WANFANG DATA) and study reference lists was conducted. Any study investigating the effectiveness of IPT-AST in 12- to 20-year-olds with depressive symptoms was eligible. Synthesis was via narrative summary and meta-analysis.

Results

A total of 6 studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis results showed a remarkable improvement in patients' depressive symptoms after IPT-AST intervention (WMD = -5.05, 95% CI = -8.11 to -1.98, p < 0.05, I2 = 77%). Six month follow-up data showed that the intervention outcomes of IPT-AST remained significant (WMD = -3.09, 95% CI: -5.23 to -0.94, p < 0.05, I2 = 57%).

Conclusion

This meta-analysis showed that IPT-AST was effective in adolescents with depressive symptoms at post-prevention and at 6-month follow-up. However, these conclusions are cautious, as they are based on a small number of studies and the presence of author duplication. Future studies should use multi-center, large-sample randomized controlled trials to evaluate the efficacy of IPT-AST for preventing depression in adolescents.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42023393047.

Effect of interpersonal psychotherapy on social functioning, overall functioning and negative emotions for depression: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) has been widely used for depression. However, current studies of IPT have been restricted to depressive symptoms, and the results for improving social functioning were controversial.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted through eleven databases. Data analysis was performed by RevMan5.3, and effects were summarized by using a random effects model of mean differences with 95 % confidence intervals.

RESULTS

From 2443 records, eleven studies met inclusion and exclusion criteria were used for meta-analysis. The results showed that IPT had significant effects on improving social functioning (SMD: -0.53, 95 % CI: -0.80 to -0.26), reducing depression (SMD: -0.49, 95 % CI: -0.80 to -0.19) and anxiety (SMD: -0.90, 95 % CI: -1.28 to -0.52), but the effect on the overall functioning (SMD: -0.37, 95 % CI: -0.73 to -0.01) is not obvious. Moreover, subgroup analysis showed that IPT was effective in improving social functioning in adolescent depression (SMD: -0.35, 95 % CI: -0.58 to -0.13) and perinatal depression (SMD: -1.01, 95 % CI: -1.35 to -0.67), while there was no significant difference in the adult depression group (SMD: -0.39, 95 % CI: -1.05 to 0.27).

LIMITATION

The blind method cannot be carried out in most studies due to the particularity of psychotherapy, heterogeneity in some results.

CONCLUSION

IPT has a significant effect on improving social functioning and reducing depression and anxiety, while the effect on overall functioning requires further research. Overall, IPT is one of the effective nonpharmacological treatments for depression.