DEPRESSION

Personalized Depression Prevention Program Also Reduces Anxiety in the Young

Depression and anxiety frequently co-occur and share several risk factors. There is some evidence for transdiagnostic effects of cognitive behavioral programs for prevention of depression and anxiety in the youth.

To explore more on this aspect, a group of researchers conducted a randomized controlled clinical trial in teenagers that compared the results of personalized depression therapy to a program that did not match their risk factors. Results were published in the journal Behavioral Research and Therapy.

Earlier work of the researchers had shown evidence for the benefits of personalization on depression outcomes. In the Personalized Depression Prevention (PDP) study, youth (n = 98, Mean age = 13.94 years, SD = 1.67) were classified as high or low on cognitive and interpersonal risk factors and randomized to either a cognitive-behavioral or an interpersonal prevention program. Some participants received a program matching their risk profile (matched youth), while others received a program that did not match their risk profile (mismatched youth). Secondary anxiety outcomes in them through 18-month post-intervention period were investigated.

Results showed evidence for the benefits of personalized prevention on anxiety symptoms during the 18-month follow-up period, but not during the intervention. From post-intervention to 18-month follow-up, matched youth showed a decrease in anxiety symptoms, whereas mismatched youth showed a significant increase in symptoms (d = 0.87, p = .001). The rates of anxiety disorders were equivalent across the groups (p = 1.00).

In conclusion, the researchers wrote that given the comorbidity of depression and anxiety, interventions that have effects on both may be an efficient and cost-effective approach to reducing the burden associated with these conditions. A risk-informed personalization approach to prevention may be one way to enhance the transdiagnostic effects of depression prevention.

Reference

Jones JD, Hankin BL, Gallop R, et al. Effects of personalized depression prevention on anxiety through 18-month follow-up: a randomized controlled trial [published online ahead of print, 2022 Jul 3]. Behav Res Ther. 2022;156:104156. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2022.104156