Mufson, L., Weissman, M., Moreau, D., & Garfinkel, R. (1999). Efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents. Archives of General Psychiatry, 56(6), 573–579. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.56.6.573

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial
Number of Participants: 48

Population:

• Age — 12–18 years
• Race/Ethnicity — IPT-A Group: 79% Hispanic; Clinical Monitoring Group: 63% Hispanic
• Gender — IPT-A Group: 75% Female and 25% Male; Clinical Monitoring Group: 71% Female and 29% Male
• Status — Participants were clinic-referred adolescents who met the criteria for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R) major depressive disorder.

Location/Institution: New York

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
The purpose of the study was to evaluate Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A). Participants were randomly assigned to either weekly IPT-A or clinical monitoring. Measures utilized include the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version 2.3 (DISC 2.3), the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children (K-SADS-E), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Children’s Global Assessment Scale (C-GAS). Results indicate that patients who received IPT-A reported a notably greater decrease in depressive symptoms and greater improvement in overall social functioning, functioning with friends, and specific problem-solving skills. Limitations include small sample size, predominantly Latino and low socioeconomic status sample, and the lack of follow-up data.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: None.

Rossello, J., & Bernal, G. (1999). The efficacy of cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal treatments for depression in Puerto Rican adolescents. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 67(5), 734–744. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.67.5.734

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial
Number of Participants: 71

Population:

• Age — 13–17 years
• Race/Ethnicity — Not specified
• Gender — 54% Female and 46% Male
• Status — Participants were adolescents who had a diagnosis for major depressive disorder, dysthymia, or both, based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed.).

Location/Institution: Centro Universitario de Servicios y Estudios Psicologicos (University Center for Psychological Services and Research) at University of Puerto Rico

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) [now called Interpersonal Therapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A)], with depressed adolescents. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: CBT, IPT or waitlist (WL). Measures utilized include the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI), the Piers-Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale (PHCSCS), the Social Adjustment Scale for Children and Adolescents (SASCA), the Family Emotional Involvement and Criticism Scale (FEICS), and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Results indicate that both IPT and CBT significantly reduced depressive symptoms and increased self-esteem when compared with the WL condition. At posttreatment, it was found that 82% of those in IPT and 59% of those in CBT showed a clinically significant change. . Limitations include the small sample size, primary use of self-report measures, and lack of follow up for the waitlist control group.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: None.

Mufson, L., Dorta K. P., Wickramaratne, P., Nomura, Y., Olfson, M., & Weissman, M. M. (2004). A randomized effectiveness trial of Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents. Archives of General Psychiatry, 61(6), 577–584. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.61.6.577

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial
Number of Participants: 63

Population:

• Age — 12–18 years
• Race/Ethnicity — 71% Hispanic
• Gender — 84% Female and 16% Male
• Status — Participants were referred to mental health clinicians in 1 of 5 school-based health clinics.

Location/Institution: Mental health clinics in New York City

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A) compared with treatment as usual (TAU) in school-based mental health clinics. Participants were randomly assigned to receive IPT-A or TAU. Measures utilized include the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Children’s Global Assessment Scale (C-GAS), the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) Scale, and the Social Adjustment Scale – Self-Report (SAS-SR). Results indicate that adolescents treated with IPT-A compared with TAU showed greater symptom reduction and improvement in overall functioning. Compared with the TAU group, the IPT-A group showed significantly fewer clinician-reported depression symptoms on the HAMD and BDI, significantly better functioning on the C-GAS, significantly better overall social functioning on the SAS-SR, and significantly greater clinical improvement and significantly greater decrease in clinical severity on the CGI scale. Limitations include the small sample size and questionable generalizability of the predominantly female and Hispanic sample.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: 1 month or less.

Gunlicks-Stoessel, M., Mufson, L., Jekal, A., & Turner, J. (2010). The impact of perceived interpersonal functioning on treatment for adolescent depression: IPT-A versus treatment as usual in school-based health clinics. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 78(2), 260–267. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018935

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial
Number of Participants: 63

Population:

• Age — 12–18 years
• Race/Ethnicity — 75% Hispanic/Latino, 14% African American, 10% Other, and 2% Asian American
• Gender — 84% Female and 16% Male
• Status — Participants were referred for mental health treatment in five school-based health clinics in New York City, and each had a diagnosis of major depression, dysthymia, depressive disorder not otherwise specified, or adjustment disorder with depressed mood.

Location/Institution: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; New York State Psychiatric Institute

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
The study used a subset of the same sample as Mufson et al. (2004). The purpose of the study was to examine aspects of depressed adolescents perceived interpersonal functioning as moderators of response to treatment among adolescents treated with Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A). Participants were randomly assigned to receive IPT-A or treatment as usual (TAU) delivered by school-based mental health clinicians. Measures utilized include the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children (K-SADS), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), the Conflict Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ-20), and the Social Adjustment Scale – Self-Report (SAS-SR). Results indicate that adolescents treated with IPT-A showed greater and more rapid reductions in depression symptoms, as compared with participants treated with TAU. The benefits of IPT-A over TAU were particularly strong for the adolescents who reported high baseline levels of conflict with their mothers and social dysfunction with friends. Limitations include the small sample size and questionable generalizability of a sample primarily consisting of low-income Hispanic females, as well as the lack of follow-up data.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: None.

Gunlicks-Stoessel, M., & Mufson, L. (2011). Early patterns of symptom change signal remission with interpersonal psychotherapy for depressed adolescents. Depression and Anxiety, 28(7), 525–531. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.20849

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial
Number of Participants: 63

Population:

• Age — 12–18 years
• Race/Ethnicity — 75% Hispanic, 14% African American, 10% Other, and 1% Asian
• Gender — 84% Female and 16% Male
• Status — Participants were referred to mental health clinicians in 1 of 5 school-based health clinics (3 middle schools and 2 high schools) within schools located in urban, impoverished areas of New York City.

Location/Institution: New York

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
The study used a subset of the same sample as Mufson et al. (2004). The purpose of the study was to examine whether reductions in depression symptoms at different time points over the course of therapy predict remission for depressed adolescents. Participants were either treated with Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A) or received treatment as usual (TAU) delivered in school-based health clinics. Measures utilized include the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children (K-SAD) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD). Results indicate that a 16.2% reduction in HRSD from baseline represented the best combined sensitivity and specificity in predicting week 16 remission status for adolescents treated with IPT-A. A 24.4% reduction in depressive symptoms represented the best combined sensitivity and specificity in predicting remission status for TAU. Limitations include the small sample size, generalizability to adolescents receiving other kinds of treatments for depression, and concerns over generalizability due to a primarily Hispanic urban sample.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: None.

O’Shea, G., Spence, S. H., & Donovan, C. L. (2015). Group versus individual Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 43(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465814000216 

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial
Number of Participants: 39

Population:

• Age — 13–19 years
• Race/Ethnicity — 38 Caucasian and 1 Aboriginal
• Gender — 33 Female and 6 Male
• Status — Participants were adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder.

Location/Institution: Brisbane, Australia

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy of group versus individual delivery of Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A). Participants were randomly assigned to either group or individual IPT-A. Measures utilized include the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Aged Children – Epidemiological version, 5th edition (K-SADS-E), the Beck Depression Inventory – II (BDI-II), the Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS), the Youth Self-Report-Revised (YSR), Child Behavior Check List (CBCL), and the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS-C). Results indicate that there was significant improvement in depression, anxiety, youth-reported internalizing problems and global functioning from pretest to posttest treatment for those receiving IPT-A, with no significant differences in outcome between group and individual formats of delivery. Improvements were maintained at 12 month follow-up. Individual IPT-A showed significantly greater improvement than group IPT-A in parent-reporting internalizing problems for the completer but not the intent-to-treat analyses. Limitations include small sample size, lack of a wait list control group or no treatment comparison group, and lack of comparison of treatment dosages across experimental conditions.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: 12 months.

Toth, S. L., Handley, E. D., Manly, J. T., Sturm, R., Adams, T. R., Demeusy, E. M., & Cicchetti, D. (2020). The moderating role of child maltreatment in treatment efficacy for adolescent depression. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 48(10), 1351–1365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-020-00682-z

Type of Study: Randomized controlled trial
Number of Participants: 120

Population:

• Age — IPT-A: Mean=13.97 years; ECS: Mean=13.94 years
• Race/Ethnicity — IPT-A: 59% Black, 25% White, 21% Latinx, and 16% Other; ECS: 73% Black, 15% White, 12% Other, and 6% Latinx
• Gender — IPT-A: 100% Female; ECS: 100% Female
• Status — Participants were low-income adolescent girls with and without histories of child maltreatment. 

Location/Institution: Not specified

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
The purpose of the study was to examine the efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A). Participants were randomly assigned to either IPT-A or Enhanced Community Standard (ECS) treatment. Measures utilized include the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children—Present and Lifetime (K-SADS-PL), the Beck Depression Inventory for Youth (BDI-Y), the UCLA-PTSD Reaction Index, the Beck Depression Inventory, second edition (BDI-II), and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Results indicate that among adolescent girls who had experienced two or more subtypes of maltreatment, IPT-A was found to be more efficacious than ECS treatment. Among girls with a history of sexual abuse, preliminary evidence found that IPT-A was significantly more effective than ECS in reducing depressive symptoms, and the effect size was large. Limitations include rates of compliance with treatment were not as high as they might have been in a more controlled setting, small sample size, and lack of follow up.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: None.