To evaluate the effectiveness of interpersonal therapy (IPT) implemented by well-supervised, novice IPT therapists in treating adolescents with moderate to severe mood disorders of lengthy duration.
Twenty-five adolescents with moderate to severe major depression, lasting an average of 8 months, received 12 weeks of IPT. All participants were assessed with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), and the Children's Global Assessment Scale (C-GAS) at baseline and follow-up.
The majority of participants improved substantially on the BDI, the HRSD, and the C-GAS; 84% met remission criteria on the HRSD (score