Efficacy and Moderators of a Family Group Cognitive-Behavioral Preventive Intervention for Children of Depressed Parents

• Published in: Journal of consulting and clinical psychology 2015-06, Vol.83 (3), p.541-553
• Main Authors: Compas, Bruce E., Forehand, Rex, Thigpen, Jennifer, Hardcastle, Emily, Garai, Emily, McKee, Laura, Keller, Gary, Dunbar, Jennifer P., Watson, Kelly H., Rakow, Aaron, Bettis, Alexandra, Reising, Michelle, Cole, David, Sterba, Sonya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0022-006X; 1939-2117
• DOI: 10.1037/a0039053

Building on an earlier study ( Compas et al., 2011 ), tests of main effects and potential moderators of a family group cognitive-behavioral (FGCB) preventive intervention for children of parents with a history of depression are reported in a sample of 180 families (242 children ages 9-15 years) in a randomized controlled trial assessed at 2-, 6-, 12-, 18- and 24-months after baseline. Significant effects favoring the FGCB intervention over a written information (WI) comparison condition were found on measures of children's symptoms of depression, mixed anxiety/depression, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems, with multiple effects maintained at 18- and 24-months, and on incidence of child episodes of major depressive disorder over the 24-months. Effects were stronger for child self-reports than for parent-reports. Minimal evidence was found for child age, child gender, parental education, parental depressive symptoms, or presence of a current parental depressive episode at baseline as moderators of the FGCB intervention. The findings provide support for sustained and robust effects of this preventive intervention.