Neural Mechanisms of Evidence-Based, Family-Focused Treatment for Youth Depression: Preliminary Open Trial
Boston University Charles River Campus
Summary
The goal of this interventional study is to compare the baseline neural mechanisms and parenting in depressed and non-depressed children and to examine baseline neural mechanisms and parenting as predictors of Family-Focused Treatment for Childhood-Depression (FFT-CD) outcomes. The main questions it aims to answer are: * What are differences between depressed and non-depressed participants on baseline neural and parenting indicators? * Do baseline neural and parenting indicators predict response to FFT-CD? * Does change in parenting and neural functioning mediate change in depression from baseline to follow-up? Participants will: * complete baseline clinical measures * complete neuroimaging tasks via Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMR) * undergo a 12-session course of FFT-CD * complete follow up evaluations and neuroimaging
Description
Childhood-onset depression is impairing, often recurrent and persistent, and negatively impacts development, resulting in high personal, social, and economic costs. Family-Focused Treatment for Childhood-Depression (FFT-CD) was developed to address the needs of depressed youth. In a large, randomized controlled trial, FFT-CD was superior to individual therapy in promoting recovery from depression. Despite its promise, there was high variability in degree of improvement in FFT-CD. Our long-term goal is to integrate parenting, neuroimaging and clinical measures to a) reveal the parenting, emoti…