Randomized study of school-based intensive interpersonal psychotherapy for depressed adolescents with suicidal risk and parasuicide behaviors

Aim: The aim of the present study was to examine the intervention effects of intensive interpersonal psychotherapy for depressed adolescents with suicidal risk (IPT-A-IN) by comparison with treatment as usual (TAU) at schools. Methods: A total of 347 students from one-fifth of the classes of a high school in southern Taiwan completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II, the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation, the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Hopelessness Scale for screening for suicidal risk. Of them, 73 depressed students who had suicidal risk on screening were randomly assigned to the IPT-A-IN or TAU group. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to examine the effect of IPT-A-IN on reducing the severity of depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety and hopelessness. Results: Using the pre-intervention scores as covariates, the IPT-A-IN group had lower post-intervention severity of depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety and hopelessness than the TAU group. Conclusion: Intensive school-based IPT-A-IN is effective in reducing the severity of depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety and hopelessness in depressed adolescents with suicidal risk.