Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Depressed, Substance-Abusing Adolescents: Development and Pilot Testing

• NCJ Number: 200706
• Journal: Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Volume: 42 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2003 Pages: 656-665
• Author(s): John F. Curry Ph.D.; Karen C. Wells Ph.D.; John E. Lochman Ph.D.; W. Edward Craighead Ph.D.; Paul D. Nagy M.A.
• Date Published: June 2003
• Length: 10 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This project developed a cognitive-behavioral treatment for depressed, substance-abusing adolescents; determined its feasibility; and tested its association with symptomatic improvement.

Abstract

The treatment program developed is called Family and Coping Skills (FACS) therapy and is based in cognitive-behavioral family theory and research. Deficiencies in social cognitive processes have been identified in substance-abusing and in depressed adolescents and their families. Such deficiencies are targets of treatment in FACS therapy. The treatment involves a clinical interview, a semistructured research diagnostic interview and battery of adolescent and parent questionnaires, a feedback and treatment contract interview with the adolescent and parents, twice-weekly adolescent group therapy sessions, weekly family therapy sessions, urine drug screens before randomly selected group sessions, monthly parent psychoeducational group meetings, and as-needed individual or crisis intervention sessions or telephone contacts. The treatment developers treated a group of six adolescents and families and then trained experienced therapists to deliver the treatment to a second group of seven adolescents and their families. Adolescents were 14-18 years old. Measures of depression and substance abuse were collected before, during, and after treatment. There was high retention in treatment, and attendance at sessions supported feasibility. Parent interviews showed significant improvement in adolescent substance abuse, and adolescent measures demonstrated significant improvement in both depressive symptoms and substance-abusing behaviors. The study concluded that integrated outpatient cognitive-behavioral intervention is feasible and associated with improvement for depressed, substance-abusing adolescents. The authors conclude, however, that additional treatment modalities will be required for some of the adolescents. Controlled efficacy studies are recommended. 3 tables, 1 figure, and 35 references