OBJECTIVES: There is substantial evidence that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) improve symptoms and functioning in adults with mood and psychotic disorders. There has been little work directly comparing these treatments among adolescents with early-onset mood or psychosis symptoms. METHOD: We conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing remotely administered group CBT to group MBCT for adolescents (ages 13-17) with a mood disorder or attenuated psychosis symptoms. Adolescents attended nine sessions over 2 months; their parents attended parallel groups focused on the same skill practices. Participants were assessed for psychiatric symptoms and functioning at posttreatment and 3 months posttreatment. RESULTS: Sixty-six youth (Mage = 15.1 years, SD = 1.4; 44 females [66.7%]) initiated the trial (32 in CBT and 34 in MBCT), with 54 retained at posttreatment and 53 at the 3-month follow-up. The treatments were associated with comparable improvements in adolescents mood, anxiety, attenuated psychosis symptoms, and psychosocial functioning over 5 months. CBT was associated with greater improvements than MBCT in emotion regulation and well-being during the posttreatment period. MBCT (compared to CBT) was associated with greater improvements in social functioning among adolescents with greater childhood adversity. Both treatments had comparable rates of retention, but youth and parents reported more satisfaction with CBT than MBCT. CONCLUSIONS: The beneficial effect of both treatments in a group telehealth format is encouraging. Due to our limited sample, future research should investigate whether adolescents history of adversity and treatment preferences replicate as treatment moderators for youth with mood or psychosis symptoms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Background

Although transdiagnostic forms of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) have been evaluated in individuals with depressive and anxiety disorders, few studies have examined their suitability for more severe disorders, such as recurrent or persistent major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, or psychotic spectrum disorders. This study examined the acceptability and initial efficacy of an app-enhanced Unified Protocol for Adolescents [UP-A] when including youth with more severe mood disorders or psychotic spectrum disorders.

Methods

We first adapted a mobile application (app), based on user-centered feedback from adolescents and their parents, to assist participants in reviewing session content, practicing skills learned in previous treatment sessions, and monitoring symptomatic progress. A total of 24 adolescents (M age = 15.2 years, SD = 1.6) with mood or psychotic spectrum disorders and their parents then participated in an open trial of the app-enhanced group treatment given over 9 weekly sessions.

Results

Adolescent participants and their parents rated the group treatment and mobile app as acceptable and useful. We observed significant improvements over the 9-week treatment in adolescents' depressive symptoms, attenuated psychotic symptoms, and global functioning. The frequency with which adolescents used the mobile app between sessions was positively related to symptomatic and functional gains.

Conclusions

Initial findings suggest the acceptability and feasibility of a mobile app that enabled adolescent participants and their parents to review session content and practice treatment skills. Findings also indicated improvements in psychiatric and functional outcomes among the adolescent participants over the course of the app-enhanced treatment. Randomized clinical trials are needed to evaluate the efficacy of app-enhanced CBT in improving symptoms and functioning in adolescents with mood or psychotic spectrum disorders.

Aim

Integrating psychosocial interventions with mobile apps may increase treatment engagement among adolescents. We examined the user experience, uptake, and clinical effects of a mobile-enhanced family-focused therapy (FFT) among adolescents at risk for mood disorders.

Method

We created a mobile app containing 12 lesson plans corresponding to content of weekly FFT sessions, with modules concerning mood management, family communication and problem-solving. We pilot tested the app in an open trial of FFT (12 sessions in 18 weeks) for adolescents who had active depressive or hypomanic symptoms, a parent with mood disorder, and at least one parent who expressed high levels of criticism. Teens and parents made daily and weekly ratings of youths' moods, amount of parent/offspring criticism, and practice of FFT psychoeducational, communication or problem-solving skills. Independent evaluators interviewed adolescents at baseline and every 9 weeks over 27 weeks to measure symptom trajectories.

Results

Participants were adolescents (n=22; mean age 15.4 ± 1.8 years; 45.5% female) and their 34 parents. Completion of requested app assessment and skill practices averaged 46%-65% among adolescents and parents over 18 weeks of treatment. Adolescents showed significant improvement in clinician-rated depression scores over 27 weeks (Cohen's d=1.58, 95% CI, 0.83 to 2.32) and reported reductions in the amount of perceived criticism expressed by parents.

Limitations

The uncontrolled design limits inferences about whether the mobile app augmented the effects of FFT on moods or family relationships.

Conclusions

Mobile applications may enhance users' responses to family therapy and provide clinicians with information regarding clinical status. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03913013.

OBJECTIVE: Family-focused therapy (FFT) is associated with enhanced outcomes in youth with bipolar and depressive disorders, but has not been evaluated in conjunction with mobile health tools. In symptomatic adolescents whose parents had histories of mood disorders, we examined whether the effects of telehealth-based FFT were augmented by mobile health apps that emphasized mood tracking and family coping skills. METHOD: Participants (aged 13-19 years) had active mood symptoms and a parent with major depressive or bipolar disorder. Participants received 12 sessions in 18 weeks of telehealth FFT, with random assignment to (1) a mobile app (MyCoachConnect, MCC) that enabled mood tracking, reviews of session content, and text reminders to practice mood management and family communication skills (FFT-MCC); or (2) a mobile app that enabled mood tracking only (FFT-Track). Independent evaluators assessed youth every 9 weeks over 6 months on depressive symptoms (primary outcome), anxiety, and psychosocial functioning. RESULTS: Participants (N = 65; mean age 15.8 ± 1.6 years) significantly improved in depressive symptoms over 6 months (F1,170 = 45.02, p < .0001; ή2 = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.11-0.31), but there were no effects of treatment condition or treatment by time interactions on depression scores. When secondary outcome measures were considered, the subgroup of youth with bipolar spectrum disorders showed greater improvements in anxiety and global functioning in FFT-MCC compared with FFT-Track. CONCLUSION: Youth in the early stages of mood disorder may benefit from FFT enhanced by mobile health apps. Collaborations between researchers and information technologists on mobile app design and user experience may lead to increases in engagement among adolescents. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Technology Enhanced Family Treatment; https://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT03913013.