| Few child and adolescent depression and anxiety treatment outcome studies have examined the impact of comorbid symptoms of depression or anxiety on treatment outcome (e.g., Barrett et al., 1996; Kendall, 1994; Kendall et al., 1997; Lewinsohn et al., 1990; 1996; Reynolds & Coats, 1986; Stark et al., 1987). Interpersonal family therapy (IFT, Kaslow & Racusin, 1994; Schwartz, Kaslow, Racusin, & Catron, 1998) is a psychosocial intervention with depressed children developed to improve family members' cognitive, affective, interpersonal, and adaptive behavior functioning.;The present study evaluated the effectiveness of Interpersonal Family Therapy with two pre-adolescent children (aged 8 to 9 years) using a replicated, single-subject time series design. One participant reported elevated symptoms of depression and average symptoms of anxiety at pre-treatment while the second participant met DSM-IV (APA, 1994) diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Prior to treatment, and at two-month intervals throughout treatment, participants and their families completed measures designed to assess psychological symptomatology, cognitive functioning, interpersonal functioning, adaptive behavior, and family functioning. Participants and their families also completed idiographic measures semi-weekly prior to, during, and following treatment. Bi-monthly measures were completed throughout treatment and 2, 4, and 6 months post-treatment.;Clinically reliable change was observed post-treatment on child-rated nomothetic measures of depression, anxiety, and competence for both participants. Parent-rated measures also exhibited clinically reliable change for some measures of child and parent symptoms. Two IFT components, the Cognitive Functioning Component and the Family Functioning Component appeared to exert positive effects on measures assessing their targeted construct. The Cognitive Functioning Component and the Interpersonal Functioning Component, moreover, appeared to exert positive effects on constructs not targeted by the components, respectively. Several measures, either in a lagged or concurrent relationship, predicted symptom scores for both participants. Specifically, for both participants, family issues and maternal symptoms of depression and anxiety predicted internalizing symptoms, as rated by both the participant and their maternal figure. In addition, ratings of social skills and cognitions were important in the prediction of internalizing symptoms for one participant. Results have implications for treatment and treatment outcome research. |
